Exchange prices of electricity on the rise in April

After the last two months, April saw power exchange prices rise slightly in all bidding areas of the Nordic countries’ Nord Pool exchange. The price was highest in Latvia and Lithuania.

The price of electricity in the Estonian bidding area of the power exchange in April was 42.18 euros per megawatt-hour, which was 5.19 per cent higher than in March. In Finland, the price of electricity was 41.44 euros per megawatt-hour in last month, an increase of 3.57 percent. In Latvia and Lithuania, the exchange price of electricity was 43.52 euros per megawatt-hour, which was respectively 8.61 per cent and 8.83 per cent higher than in March. The Nord Pool system price fell by 0.1 percent to 40.82 euros per megawatt-hour.

In April, the Estonian and Finnish prices of electricity varied from each other in the case of 51 hours. A price difference was seen between the Estonian and Latvian bidding area in the case of 75 hours and no differences occurred between the Latvian and Lithuanian bidding areas.

In April, electricity flows between Finland and Estonia moved toward Estonia 88 percent of the time, and 41 percent of the capacity allocated to the market was used during the month. The capacity provided to the market was used fully in the case of 52 hours. In 6 per cent of the hours, power flowed from Estonia to Finland and there was no trading in 6 percent of the hours.

Between Estonia and Latvia, electricity flowed toward Latvia 80 percent of the time and 9 percent of the time toward Estonia. A total of 37 percent of the capacity provided to the market was used in the direction of Latvia and capacity was used fully in 74 hours. There were no commercial transactions in the case of 11 percent of the hours.

Elering earned 700,000 euros in auction revenue from trading cross-border transmission capacities last month.

The prices of carbon dioxide emission allowances – which impact the price of electricity – ranged from 21.82 to 27.45 euros per tonne in April. In the same month last year, the price range was 12.61 to 13.95 euros per tonne.

Based on futures trades on the Nasdaq OMX exchange, as of the last trading day of April, the exchange price of electricity in May could shape up to be 45.93 euros/MWh in Estonia, 45.1 euros/MWh in Finland and 48.35 euros/MWh in Latvia. Futures transactions indicate that June prices could be from 45.73 and 46.43 euros/MWh.

All data are provided according to Central European time (CET).