Average annual electricity exchange price to remain at the same level as the previous year

According to data from the Nordic electricity exchange Nord Pool, the average exchange price in the Estonian price area for 2017 was 33.2 euros per megawatt-hour. In 2016, the average price in the area was 33.06 euros.

In the Finnish price area, the average electricity exchange price was 33.19 euros per megawatt-hour in 2017 and 32.45 euros per megawatt-hour in 2016, while the price in Latvia was 34.68 and 36.09 euros, respectively. In 2017, the system price in the area was 29.41 euros per megawatt-hour compared to 26.91 euros for the previous year.

According to data from the exchange, the electricity exchange price in the Estonian price area was 32.02 euros per megawatt-hour in December, decreasing by five per cent within a month. In the Latvian area, the price was 32.26 and in Lithuania 33.06 euros, with prices showing a decrease of seven and almost nine per cent, respectively. Compered to the Estonian price, Finnish electricity price was lower by 10 cents, decreasing by five per cent in comparison with November. The system price for the area was 30.92 euros per megawatt-hour.

In December, there were differences in the Estonian and Finnish prices for 15 hours of all the hours of the month and for 53 hours between Estonia and Latvia. Latvian and Lithuanian prices differed for 68 hours.

In December, power flows between Estonia and Finland were directed from Estonia to Finland for 20 per cent of the time and from Finland to Estonia for 67 per cent of the time. There was no trade between Estonia and Finland for 101 hours.

3.5 per cent of the full capacity available to the market was used in the direction of Finland and 25 per cent in the direction of Estonia. All of the full capacity available to the market was used for 15 hours in the direction of Estonia, while there were no such hours in the direction of Finland.

In December, power flows between Estonia and Latvia moved in the direction of Latvia for 86 per cent of the time, while the flows moved in the opposite direction for six per cent of the time. There was no trade between the two countries for 54 hours. 44 per cent of the full capacity available to the market was used in the direction of Latvia in December and two per cent in the direction of Estonia. One hundred per cent of the full capacity available to the market was used for 58 hours in the direction of Latvia and for two hours in the direction of Estonia.

Elering earned 366,156 euros in revenue from transmission capacity distribution in December. Elering earned a total of 5,581,856 euros in revenue from cross-border capacity distribution in 2017.

The carbon dioxide emission quota price that influences the electricity price remained between 7.07 and 8.17 euros per ton in December. In November, the price range remained under eight euros and stood between 7.35 and 7.92 euros per ton.

Based on future transactions on the last trading day of the month on the Nasdaq OMX market, the electricity price in the Estonian price area may reach 38.85 euros per megawatt-hour in January and 40.7 euros in February. Based on the transactions of the exchange, the average annual price for 2019 may reach 34.77 euros per megawatt-hour.