North Macedonia has officially introduced its intraday electricity trading platform, marking a significant advancement in its efforts to integrate with the European electricity market. This initiative is expected to enhance operational flexibility for market participants by allowing electricity transactions on the actual delivery day, which is crucial for managing supply-demand imbalances.
The introduction of this platform is anticipated to bolster overall system efficiency and reduce balancing costs, thereby improving real-time management of the national power grid. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski characterized this development as a tangible outcome of ongoing reforms within the energy sector, underscoring the importance of energy security and system resilience as strategic priorities for Europe. He noted that the new market structure will better equip North Macedonia to navigate price volatility and regional market fluctuations.
Sanja Božinovska, the Energy Minister, emphasized that this intraday platform is merely one phase in a comprehensive market integration process. She indicated plans for further development of trading mechanisms, an expansion of regional electricity cooperation, and a gradual transition towards participation in European market coupling systems.
<pThe director of MEMO, Zoran Gjorgievski, highlighted that the new trading segment introduces crucial real-time market functionality into the Macedonian electricity sector. It aims to enhance price transparency through competitive trading. However, he cautioned that forthcoming EU climate policies, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), could exert additional pressure on domestic producers and affect market liquidity if not phased in carefully.
The platform was developed by MEMO in collaboration with BSP and utilizes the M7 trading system from Deutsche Börse. Officials assert that this new intraday trading capability is poised to improve overall market efficiency, strengthen regional connectivity, and support North Macedonia’s long-term objectives regarding energy transition and integration with the EU.
