Serbia’s state-owned utility EPS joins Montenegrin Power Exchange

Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) has joined the Montenegrin Power Exchange. Serbia’s state-owned coal and electricity producer has become the eleventh registered participant in the organized market and the fifth foreign entity.

EPS is the biggest electricity producer in Serbia. It is also active in the supply and power trading sectors. The utility’s power plants have a combined capacity of 7.3 GW. EPS produced 34 TWh last year, the Montenegrin Power Exchange (BELEN or MEPX) noted.

The bourse was supposed to introduce a day-ahead market by the end of 2022. However, the start of trading was postponed to April 26. The exchange currently only holds auctions for covering losses in the transmission and distribution systems.

Of note, Montenegro’s state-owned coal and electricity producer Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG) joined Serbia’s electricity exchange SEEPEX in June.

Electricity exchanges in Western Balkans

SEEPEX, the only operational electricity exchange in the Western Balkans until a week ago, scheduled the kickoff of its intraday electricity market for June.

The Albanian Power Exchange, ALPEX, launched regular operations on April 11 with the establishment of a day-ahead market.

The Energy Community Secretariat stressed in its Energy Transition Tracker in July the need for day-ahead markets in Western Balkan countries and integrate them. Their introduction would increase the utilization of renewable energy sources, but such systems are also important because of the European Union’s upcoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the document reads.

North Macedonian National Electricity Market Operator MEMO said it would launch the domestic exchange on May 10. The bourse will initially cover only the national day-ahead market, until the first market coupling with an exchange in a neighboring country.