A wholesale electricity market is to be launched in Siberia and is due to commence operations on 1 May, following approvals from the Russian government. The ruling extends the boundaries of the existing competitive wholesale electricity market, launched in 2003, to Siberia.
According to a statement from the non-profit Wholesale Electricity Market Trading System Administrator, electricity suppliers will be able to sell up to 5% of their electricity output, or a 2% limit for hydro stations, to the market. Consumers will be able to purchase up to 15% of their demand on the market. The heavy reliance on hydro in the Siberian region is behind the tighter capacity limits for hydroelectric generators. However hydro plants will be able to sell up to 15% of their power at free prices when rivers are high and buyers will be able to purchase up to 20% competitivly at this time.
Corresponding figures for European Russia are 15% of sales and 30% of purchases available on the open market.