FTR-Options Auctions

Following the requirement expressed by the regulatory authorities and the request of the Latvian and Estonian electricity market participants, as from 1 January 2014, Augstsprieguma tīkls AS together with the Estonian transmission system operator Elering AS (Elering) ensure granting of the cross-border interconnection capacity on the Estonian-Latvian border by organising the financial transmission rights option auctions on the Estonian-Latvian border in the direction Estonia-Latvia. PTR_ilustr.jpg

Financial transmission rights option is a financial instrument, by means of which the electricity market participants can limit the risk of price fluctuations between the Estonian and Latvian electricity trade areas. Currently, operation of the FTR-Options auctions is based on the provisions of European Commission Regulation 2016/1719 of 26 September 2016 establishing a guideline on forward capacity allocation (According Article 51 established document that sets out the harmonised allocation rules for Long Term Transmission Rights on EU Level – EU HAR) and is a financial transmission rights option product that follows from the requirements of Regulation No. 2019/943 and 2016/1719 Regulation.

In accordance with a mutual agreement, since 1 January 2019, organising of the auction platform of both transmission operators is carried out by Joint Allocation Office. Additional information about auction rules, auction calendar and results are available on JAO website www.jao.eu.

+ About cross-border financial transmission rights auctions

Due to insufficient transmission capacity, the structure of production sources and the market supply and demand ratio, the electricity prices on the exchange may differ in different electricity trade areas. Transmission system operators are obliged to ensure transmission of the required amount of electricity in the requested volume and provide for the grid balance at the current point in time. According to the electricity model established in the European Union, electricity from cheaper electricity areas flows to the more expensive electricity areas. If the cross-border connection throughput capacity or the line transmission capacity is not sufficient for the electricity from the cheapest area to cover the demand in the area where the price is higher, congestion is formed. It is due to congestion that prices in neighboring areas differ.

In the event of congestion, when different prices are formed on either side of the border, the operators are gaining so-called congestion management revenue by dividing the electricity price difference between the two electricity trade area operators. Pursuant to EU Regulation No. 2019/943, such revenue may be used to reduce such congestion (new line construction, elimination of bottlenecks) or for the reduction of the transmission rate in accordance with the decisions of regulatory institutions.

By participating in the FTR-Options auctions and purchasing the auctioned capacity, the electricity market participants have the opportunity to limit the risk of price fluctuation, that is, to receive money from the congestion management revenue of the operators or to fully or partially pay the purchase price for the capacity purchased if the redemption price (price difference between Latvian and Estonian trading areas) is less than or equal to the offered amount.

Settlements between the organisers of the auction and the auction participant take place in the form of clearing by comparing the bidding price that the auction participants undertake to pay for the purchased capacity and the redemption price (More detailed information available on website of auction platform organiser JAO: www.jao.eu).

The purchased capacity (in the form of PTR-Limited) shall not grant the participant of the auction the right to use it for the physical transmission of electricity. 

+ Participation in cross-border capacity auctions till 2019

FTR-Options auctions is also known in the Baltic electricity market under the name PTR-Limited. All communications with potential and registered participants of PTR-Limited shall take place in English. All historical required information and documentation for participation in PTR-Limited auctions is available here:

The PTR-Limited auction results for year 2018

Yearly auctions:

Quarterly auctions:

Monthly auctions:

The PTR-Limited auction results for year 2017

Yearly auctions:

Quarterly auctions:

Monthly auctions:

For any queries related to FTR-Options auctions, please contact us by e-mail or use Joint Allocation Office Client service form