Vademecum of GME’s Electricity Markets
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Under article 5 of Legislative Decree no. 79 of 16 March 1999, "Gestore del Mercato Elettrico S.p.A." (GME) is the company vested with the organisation and economic management of the electricity market, i.e. the regulated wholesale electricity market, commonly known as "Italian Power Exchange" (Ipex).
GME is fully owned by the company "Gestore dei Servizi Energetici - GSE S.p.A." (GSE), which is in turn fully owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. GSE has also full control of the company "Acquirente Unico S.p.A." (AU).
The creation of GME is part of the wider process of liberalisation of the electricity sector, which was started in 1999. The mission of GME is to favour the development of a competitive national power system.
To date, GME has been one of the main institutional reference entities of the electricity sector. As such, it plays a key role together with the other institutional entities of the sector (Italian Ministries of Economic Development, of Economy and Finance, "Autorità di Regolazione per Energia Rete e Ambiente" – AEEG, the Italian electricity & gas regulator - etc.).
The power exchange - a fundamental instrument for creating a competitive electricity market in Italy - favours the setting of efficient clearing prices, which enable producers and wholesalers to sell and buy electricity where it is most cost-effective. Moreover, the power exchange ensures transparency and security of trades to its Participants. Indeed, GME fulfils its responsibilities by ensuring neutrality, transparency, objectivity and competition between producers, in accordance with the Decree that established it.
In particular, GME manages the "Mercati dell’Energia" (Energy Markets), which consist of: i) the "Mercato a Pronti dell’Energia" (Day-Ahead Market – MGP), i.e. Day-Ahead Market, "Mercato Infragiornaliero" (Intra-Day Market - MI) and "Mercato per il Servizio di Dispacciamento" (Ancillary Services Market - MSD); and ii) the "Mercato a Termine dell’Energia con obbligo di consegna fisica dell’energia" (Forward Electricity Market with obligation of physical delivery of electricity - MTE). Since 2007, GME has also been operating the "Piattaforma dei Conti Energia a Termine" (Forward Electricity Account Trading Platform - PCE).
On this platform, operators who trade electricity bilaterally off the energy markets register their commercial obligations and nominate the related injection and withdrawal schedules. GME is not only active in the electricity sector, but also participates in the implementation of Italian environmental policies, by managing the "Mercati per l’ambiente" (Environmental Markets): "Mercato dei Certificati Verdi" (Green Certificates Market - MCV), "Mercato dei Titoli di Efficienza Energetica" (Energy Efficiency Certificates Market – MTEE) and "Mercato delle Unità di Emissione" (Emissions Trading Market – MUE). Through these markets GME promotes the development of renewables, the increase of energy savings and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, the market is an instrument through which companies may make environmentally sustainable choices while minimising their overall costs.
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