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The cost of uncoupling GB interconnectors

Author

Listed:
  • Bowei Guo

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge)

  • David Newbery

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge)

Abstract

The UK left the EU Integrated Electricity Market on 31/12/20 and with it access to Single Day Ahead Coupling that clears local and cross-border trades jointly – interconnectors are implicitly auctioned. The new the Trade and Cooperation Agreement requires a replacement "Multi-region loose volume coupling" to be introduced before April 2022. Until then, interconnector capacity is allocated by an explicit day ahead auction before the EU auction with nomination after the EU results are known. The paper measures the risks posed by taking positions in each market separately and the resulting costs of uncoupling of GB's interconnector trade. It compares four forecasts of price differences under two sequencing of markets and explicit auction, determining traders' risk premia for each. The current timing leads to lower mistakes on the direction of flows, although higher profit volatility, arguing to retain the current timing. Competitive traders locking in their positions after the explicit auction (overstating costs as subsequent trading out of unprofitable positions is ignored) limit the total loss of interconnector revenue from uncoupling to €31 million/yr., and the social cost of uncoupling is €28 million/yr., considerably below earlier estimates in the literature.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Bowei Guo & David Newbery, 2021. "The cost of uncoupling GB interconnectors," Working Papers EPRG2102, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:enp:wpaper:eprg2102
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    Cited by:

    1. Mezősi, András & Kácsor, Enikő & Diallo, Alfa, 2023. "Projects of common interest? Evaluation of European electricity interconnectors," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Petitet, Marie & Ricaud, Benjamin & Felder, Frank A. & Elshurafa, Amro M., 2025. "Cross-border electricity trading in the GCC countries, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq: Hourly market coupling or bilateral agreements?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    3. Savelli, Iacopo & Bokkisam, Hanumantha Rao & Cuffe, Paul & Morstyn, Thomas, 2023. "On-demand energy flexibility market via smart contracts to help reduce balancing costs in Great Britain," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Liu, Yang & Jiang, Zhigao & Guo, Bowei, 2022. "Assessing China’s provincial electricity spot market pilot operations: Lessons from Guangdong province," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    5. Liu, Y. & Jiang, Z. & Guo, B., 2021. "Assessing China's Provincial Electricity Spot Market Pilot Operations: Lessons from the Guangdong Province," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2165, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    6. Michael G Pollitt, 2022. "The further economic consequences of Brexit: energy," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 38(1), pages 165-178.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • Q47 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy Forecasting
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities

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