Second failure of ALPEX tender for electronic power trading platform

The Albanian Power Exchange (ALPEX) didn’t succeed in finding a supplier for the electronic trading platform for its day-ahead and intraday markets.

ALPEX was unsuccessful with its second tender, which will delay the establishment of the power exchange in Albania. The first public call for suppliers was launched in March, and the second one in June.

Among the Energy Community parties in the region, only Serbia has a power exchange – SEEPEX, while Albania, Kosovo*, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have difficulties in the process of their establishment. However, Montenegro, and North Macedonia made some progress in the recent months.

The tender for the establishment of the Albanian Power Exchange was canceled because none of the submitted bids complied with the requirements of the tender, local media reported.

The maximum bid was set at EUR 1.9 million

It was also the reason for the failure of the first tender. The specifications were the same in both public calls and USAID prepared the terms of reference. The maximum bid was set at EUR 1.9 million.

ALPEX, based in capital Tirana, will operate the short-term electricity markets in Albania and Kosovo* and their day-ahead market coupling.

According to the latest Energy Transition Tracker, published by the Secretariat of the Energy Community, an ALPEX branch office was established in Kosovo in May 2021.

ALPEX’s branch office was established in Kosovo in May

“The Albanian day-ahead market should be operational 9 months following the signature of the contract with the successful bidder. The launch of the day-ahead market in Kosovo* and the coupling of these two bidding zones is envisaged 11 months after the contract signature,” the tracker reads.

Progress in Montenegro, and North Macedonia

The ongoing tender for the provision of a day-ahead trading platform with a module for its coupling, launched by the national electricity market operator of North Macedonia, MEMO, was closed on July 26.

According to the tracker, in June 2021, Montenegrin power exchange operator BELEN selected a provider of day-ahead trading, clearing and settlement platforms, but its name wasn’t disclosed.

The process of establishing ALPEX started in March 2020, when the Albanian government launched a tender for companies interested in becoming shareholders. At the end of June, the shareholders were selected, and in October last year, Kosovo’s transmission system operator (TSO) KOSTT and its Albanian counterpart OST signed an agreement on the establishment of ALPEX.