OREANDA-NEWS. December 28, 2009. A new revision of Electricity trade rules were approved providing a legal basis for launching of Lithuanian electricity exchange from January 1, 2010. Its participants will be able to submit proposals for selling and buying electricity at this exchange from December 30.

As the market operator, Lietuvos Energija actively prepares market participants for changes and performs training. During December 7-8 the largest electricity generators learned how to use the trade system of the exchange. The training for the rest of the electricity supply licence holders is scheduled for December 14-17, - says Mr. Valdas Jurkevicius, Head of Market Service Division of Lietuvos Energija.

According to him, the market activity and practical use of the system were also some of the most important issues in the introductory presentations on trade system of the exchange, held at Lietuvos Energija on November 24. They were attended by potential exchange participants, holding electricity generation permits and supply licenses as well as representatives of the National Control Commission for Prices and Energy, Confederation of Industrialists, representatives of the Ministry of Economy. On November 30, Lietuvos Energija announced the regulation on trade at electricity exchange, presented agreement forms and informed potential market players.

Consumers will have a possibility to freely choose a supplier, who, based on individual consumer needs, will offer the best ratio of electricity price and service. During the transitional period of the half year – until choosing another supplier – the consumers will be able to purchase electricity from public suppliers. 

According to V. Jurkevicius, electricity consumers have no grounds for concern – they will have no need to purchase electricity at the exchange by themselves:  this will be done only by electricity generators, suppliers, importers and exporters. Consumers, for whom tariffs are regulated, as previously will be supplied with electricity by public suppliers (Rytu skirstomieji tinklai, VST, Visagino energija).

The part of non-regulated tariffs for consumers in Lithuania will be increased gradually. It is planned that from the upcoming year the part of non-regulated tariffs will account for 35 per cent of the entire electricity consumed in the country, from January 1, 2011 – 45 per cent, a year later – 55 per cent.  From 2013 tariffs will be regulated only for residential consumers while from 2015 electricity prices will no longer be regulated for all consumers.