Gas and power companies do a coal deal.
Centrica has agreed to buy power for three years from International Power at a coal related price. This type of deal is very good for IP who can afford to have a floating coal price safe in the knowledge that they will guarantee a margin as the power price will be floating at a rate above the coal price. For Centrica they are now exposed to coal prices and not power prices. If coal prices fall and power prices rise, (i.e. a widening of the dark spread) then this will be a good deal for Centrica. Naturally if power prices fall relative to coal prices, (i.e. a narrowing of the dark spread) then it will be a bad deal for them. It is interesting that the deal is for peaking power or peak load and this will be provided predominantly from coal sources anyway. Centrica will probably hedge their coal exposure using a financial contract for difference in the coal market.
19 February 2008
Could the change in price be a trading signal. read more...
16 October 2006
Some long term hedging is effecting the market and the lack of buyers has caused the markets to turn South, although oil has bobbled up on Friday the long term trend still appears to be down. read more...
17 June 2005
"'Curiouser and curiouser,' cried Alice!" Alice and Wonderland read more...
Winter 11 - A Slippery Slope
While March was a month of shocks and gains, April seems to have marked the start of a downward trend in the UK power market. The WInter 11 contract is just one example. read more...
06 May 2011
While March was a month of shocks and gains, April seems to have marked the start of a downward trend in the UK power market. The WInter 11 contract is just one example. read more...
Where's the certainty?
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
23 December 2009
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
Dong buy Severn Power
The Danish energy utility, Dong have bought one part of Carron Energy. read more...
10 March 2009
The Danish energy utility, Dong have bought one part of Carron Energy. read more...
Green Light for additional 3.92GW of Capacity
The development of 3.92GW of power plant capacity was given the green light yesterday by the Department for Energy & Climate Change. read more...
06 February 2009
The development of 3.92GW of power plant capacity was given the green light yesterday by the Department for Energy & Climate Change. read more...
A sliding Prompt
A comfortable system in terms of supply margins left the prompt power market sliding. read more...
14 November 2008
A comfortable system in terms of supply margins left the prompt power market sliding. read more...
What's in the Mix?
While gains may have been seen in both the power and gas markets this week – the gains were not equal causing a big shift in the generation mix read more...
24 September 2010
While gains may have been seen in both the power and gas markets this week – the gains were not equal causing a big shift in the generation mix read more...
Out with the Old, In with the New
During the last day of trading in 2009, the UK Power curve closes down but what will the New Year hold in store? read more...
31 December 2009
During the last day of trading in 2009, the UK Power curve closes down but what will the New Year hold in store? read more...
Unseasonal Temperatures help to melt prices
Middle of November but no sign of wintery temperatures. The effect was to soften the prompt power market, which also felt the pressure from weak commodity curves. The downward trend fed through the power curve. read more...
16 November 2009
Middle of November but no sign of wintery temperatures. The effect was to soften the prompt power market, which also felt the pressure from weak commodity curves. The downward trend fed through the power curve. read more...
Market forgets basic principles and panics!
It could be said that the market over reacted today in the prompt market with a price rally on the back of a £142 half hourly cash out price. read more...
02 October 2009
It could be said that the market over reacted today in the prompt market with a price rally on the back of a £142 half hourly cash out price. read more...
What's Happening in the Back-End?
The back end of the curve is extremely difficult to trade. Those dipping their toe in tend to be Producers (with excessive length adjusting their risk positions) and Banks looking for some exposure. At the same time Retailers tend to be short-termist. read more...
19 June 2009
The back end of the curve is extremely difficult to trade. Those dipping their toe in tend to be Producers (with excessive length adjusting their risk positions) and Banks looking for some exposure. At the same time Retailers tend to be short-termist. read more...
Speculator Irony
With all that has happened in the financial markets this past few days, and with Lehman Brothers collapsing on the 14th September, the one thing that has remained constant is the Speculator Trader rubbished as a cause of volatility and prices rises in one market or another. read more...
19 September 2008
With all that has happened in the financial markets this past few days, and with Lehman Brothers collapsing on the 14th September, the one thing that has remained constant is the Speculator Trader rubbished as a cause of volatility and prices rises in one market or another. read more...
Traders through thin volume start to look at Carbon
Bali conference bound to produce some interesting snippets, but more likely to "guilt" the non-particpants into action. read more...
03 December 2007
Bali conference bound to produce some interesting snippets, but more likely to "guilt" the non-particpants into action. read more...
Oil options day
Oil turns into a bit of a damp squib as players do not exercise their $100 options. read more...
13 November 2007
Oil turns into a bit of a damp squib as players do not exercise their $100 options. read more...
Market ticks up
The power market ticked up marginally today on the back of retail clients starting to hedge exposures out of April 09. read more...
04 March 2009
The power market ticked up marginally today on the back of retail clients starting to hedge exposures out of April 09. read more...
A Day for Downs ... then Ups
The front end of the power market curve saw some downs… and then ups as contracts seemed to reach a floor before rebounding. read more...
30 October 2008
The front end of the power market curve saw some downs… and then ups as contracts seemed to reach a floor before rebounding. read more...
Prompt continues to dominate
The market looks set to settle down after the last three weeks excitement it is probably no bad thing that the world starts to do some fundamental analysis. read more...
05 October 2007
The market looks set to settle down after the last three weeks excitement it is probably no bad thing that the world starts to do some fundamental analysis. read more...
Summary of the week.
The market continues to baffle as players gear up for the winter read more...
28 September 2007
The market continues to baffle as players gear up for the winter read more...
Peaks vs Baseload Ratios
The peak baseload ratio is a good traders guide to the state of the market. Much below 1.1 and you need to buying peaks, much above 1.5 and you need to be selling them, but it is perhaps more interesting to look at the individual ratios against each other. read more...
05 March 2006
The peak baseload ratio is a good traders guide to the state of the market. Much below 1.1 and you need to buying peaks, much above 1.5 and you need to be selling them, but it is perhaps more interesting to look at the individual ratios against each other. read more...
February Monthly Round Up
February was dominated by news of unrest spreading throughout the Middle East and this had a direct impact on all aspects of the UK energy market with gains seen in the UK Power and NBP Gas curves. read more...
25 February 2011
February was dominated by news of unrest spreading throughout the Middle East and this had a direct impact on all aspects of the UK energy market with gains seen in the UK Power and NBP Gas curves. read more...
Where has the market got left to go?
Clean spark spread prices in Winter’s 11 and 12 are trading below £5.00MWh (closing at £4.87 and £4.59 respectively). The equivalent Summer’s are not that much stronger asking some to ask is there anymore downside left at these levels. read more...
03 September 2010
Clean spark spread prices in Winter’s 11 and 12 are trading below £5.00MWh (closing at £4.87 and £4.59 respectively). The equivalent Summer’s are not that much stronger asking some to ask is there anymore downside left at these levels. read more...
Where's the certainty?
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
23 December 2009
There was a time when you could quite comfortably forecast the running order of generation plant in the UK - but 2009 has seen a dramatic turn in the stack! read more...
Drax up against it
Drax profit margins fall as competition will only get harder. read more...
05 March 2008
Drax profit margins fall as competition will only get harder. read more...
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