(Lysaker, 12 March 2009) AGA is the first industrial company that starts trading in all the Nordic countries as a clearing customer at Nord Pool Spot’s physical day-ahead market Elspot.
Nord Pool Spot announces that AGA Gas AB, Oy AGA AB, AGA AS and AGA A/S have joined Nord Pool Spot as clearing customers on the day-ahead market Elspot in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. By becoming a clearing customer AGA will be independent of other electricity suppliers, thus gaining direct relations to the marketplace and better control of its own consumption capabilities.
“We are very pleased that AGA has decided to join Elspot as a clearing customer in all the Nordic countries. It is important for a well functioning Nordic electricity market that more industries and end consumers see the benefits of becoming an independent market player in the Nordic electricity market. Through active participation of industries and end customers there are increased possibilities to achieve a higher degree of demand response.” says Erik Sæther, CEO at Nord Pool Spot AS.
Increased flexibility and cost effectiveness are some of the reasons behind AGA’s decision to actively enter the Elspot market. “Being our own supplier provides us with transparency, anonymity and full control of cost within the purchasing process. The new “one price system” of regulating power in the Nordic countries gives us much lower risks and over time insignificant cost for balancing our consumption. Meeting the price signals in the physical markets also gives us direct incentives to value and use the flexibility of our consumption,” says Jens Marquardt, energy manager, AGA Region Europe North.
AGA has chosen Markedskraft as its trading and clearing representative on Elspot. An Elspot clearing customer is a participant who posts collateral and is responsible for the settlement of its own trade while the actual trade is performed by a trading and clearing representative.
About Nord Pool Spot AS
The power exchange Nord Pool Spot organizes the physical trade of electricity, the day-ahead market Elspot in the Nordic countries and the KONTEK area in Germany. In addition, Nord Pool Spot operates the intra-day market Elbas in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany. Nord Pool Spot is owned by the Nordic transmission system operators (TSOs): Statnett SF, Svenska Kraftnät, Fingrid Oyj and Energinet.dk.
Nord Pool Spot provides a market place to producers, distributors, industrial companies, energy companies, trading representatives, large consumers, and TSOs on which they can buy or sell physical power. Currently 336 participants trade at the Nord Pool Spot markets daily. Traded volumes through Nord Pool Spot in 2008 amounted to 297.6 TWh in Elspot and 1.8 TWh in Elbas. This equals more than 70% of the total consumption of electricity in the Nordic countries.
About AGA
AGA is northern Europe’s leading industrial gas company with operations in all the Nordic countries and in the Baltics. AGA manufactures and markets industrial gases and specialty gases for all applications. In close collaboration with its customers the company develops total solutions including gases and process knowledge, gas equipment and services. With advanced gas engineering technology AGA helps its customers enhance their profitability, safety and quality while protecting the environment. AGA acts responsibly towards its business partners, employees, society and the environment. AGA is a part of The Linde Group, a world-leading gas and engineering company with almost 52,000 employees in 100 countries worldwide. In 2008 it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion. More information on www.aga.se and www.linde.com.
For further information, please contact Nord Pool Spot:
Erik Sæther, CEO Nord Pool Spot AS, phone +47 6752 8033
Tania Pinzon, sales manager Sweden, phone +46 8 555 166 18
Jens Marquardt, energy manager, AGA Region North Europe, phone +46 8 706 96 69