Parachute: gas proxy and SEM forward markets

The ability for market participants to hedge their power price exposure remains limited in the SEM, with a lack of forward products available for trading. This means that market participants are often left fully exposed to the spot market – meaning power contracts for almost immediate delivery – but the prices of these contracts can be very volatile.

However, there is a way around this. When parties do not have access to the forward products they need to hedge their price exposure; proxy hedging can be used. Proxy hedging in the electricity market is when a trader, in the absence of an available forward power contract, buys a closely related commodity instead. In this week’s blog, we discuss this topic further. 

Related thinking

Low carbon generation

Your invite to our wholesale Summer Outlook 2021 webinar

We are delighted to invite you to our wholesale Summer Outlook webinar. On 12 May, Cornwall Insight will be hosting an open webinar covering our independent views, analysis and outlook of the upcoming summer 2021 period. As part of this session, we will explore a range of both historic and...

Regulation and policy

Ofgem “hands-on” in RIIO-2 as net zero route unfolds

During the next round of the RIIO price controls, Ofgem can be expected to take a more hands-on approach to outputs the networks are required to provide and the allowed revenues they can charge their users or consumers. This will have impacts for network development including the enabling of electric...

Regulation and policy

A look back at 2020 part 4

As we take our first steps into 2021, we take our final look back at the biggest developments in the UK energy markets in 2020, setting us up for the significant year ahead. Ofgem issued its decarbonisation Action Plan on 3 February as Jonathan Brearley became Ofgem CEO, setting out...

Regulation and policy

New gas transmission charging requires early charge changes

New gas transmission charging arrangements were implemented in October 2020 under UNC678A Amendments to Gas Charging Regime (Postage Stamp) in order to achieve alignment with the EU Tariffs Code (TAR). The change introduced a framework around capacity charges to cover transmission revenues with a methodology to calculate reserve prices based...

Low carbon generation

Demand trends: August sees highest demand since March

This article was originally published on 25 August 2020 in our ‘SEM and commodity pricing report’.   In this week’s blog we take a look at the latest fundamental developments impacting power prices in the SEM. This will see us take a look at wind generation in the SEM this year, while...

Regulation and policy

New horizons: DCC plans to expand remit over next 5 years

The government awarded the Data Communications Company (DCC) licence to Capita subsidiary Smart DCC Ltd in 2013. As an Ofgem-regulated monopoly, the DCC’s remit was to set up the smart metering communications infrastructure, linking up 53mn electricity and gas meters with the systems of energy suppliers, network companies and third...

Commercial and market outlook

Changes: how our Spectrum service is evolving

This article was originally published on 9 June 2020 in our ‘Energy Spectrum Ireland’ publication.  Since Cornwall Insight launched the Energy Spectrum Ireland Service in 2015, it has been providing insight on key developments in the energy markets in Ireland. With the macro market trends of decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitilisation,...

Energy storage and flexibility

CRU implements COVID-19 supply suspension scheme

On 1 May, the CRU set out the details of its decision to implement a temporary supply suspension scheme for eligible SME electricity and gas customers due to the impact of the pandemic. It said that the unique and extraordinary circumstances of the current situation require a modification to the current approach...