Bulgaria connects its day-ahead power market with Romania

Bulgaria’s power exchange connected on Wednesday its day-ahead power market with neighbouring Romania, allowing the linking with other European power markets and increasing liquidity.

The Independent Bulgarian Energy Exchange (IBEX) said the first delivery day would be on October 28.

So-called coupling aims to optimise allocation of cross-border power capacity by coordinating price calculations and flows between countries. This minimises price differentials between regions, spurs on competition and stabilises prices for consumers.

“With the inclusion of the Bulgarian-Romanian border, a geographical loop has been closed and the Southeast Europe region is now fully integrated in the Single Day-Ahead Coupling,” IBEX said in a statement.

IBEX has already coupled its day-ahead electricity market with neighbouring Greece, which would now also be connected northbound via the coupling with Romania, it said. [Reuters]