Czech technology solution manages electricity trading in the Balkans

The SEE CAO auction office, which manages trading in cross-border electricity capacity in most Balkan countries, has expanded its operations to the Greek-Turkish border. This move has a direct impact on electricity supply for 86 million people. Trading is managed using the Czech Damas information system, developed by Unicorn Systems. 

The SEE CAO auction office has been operating in the market for less than two years. It already facilitates the purchase and sale of capacity in cross-border electricity trading across five borders: Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, Montenegro and Albania, Albania and Greece, and Greece and Turkey. It plans to expand into further areas later this year.

Cross-border capacity auctions are an established and proven tool for maximising the benefit of a limited resource such as transmission capacity. SEE CAO organises annual, monthly and daily auctions, in which more than a hundred electricity traders participate.

Trading process managed using Czech technology

The entire trading process is managed by the Damas information system, developed by Czech company Unicorn Systems.

“We enjoy working on projects that are not only a technological challenge, but also have a strong social impact,”commented Jan Konrád, International Services Director at Unicorn Systems.

The technology solution from Unicorn Systems is also used for the commercial management of transmission systems by Czech transmission system operator ČEPS, a.s., and Slovak transmission system operator SEPS, a.s.

The Damas Energy system serves both operators primarily to automate commercial and technical processes. It also provides flexible communication between the transmission system operator and other market participants, such as electricity generators, traders, large consumers and providers of ancillary services.