Credit risk in liberalised power and natural gas markets

This chapter examines the relationship of market structure and price volatility to credit risk, and discusses credit risk and energy market structures, credit risk in bilateral contracts, market evolution, and the effect of liberalising power markets on credit quality considering the power liberalising in Europe, the pace of change, and the new risks and opportunities. The market structure in Europe is addressed, and the EU Directive 96/92/EC, structural requirements, access for new generation capacity, and transmission costs are considered. Details of the liberalisation in the UK electricity market, the German market, and the Nord Pool are given, and the best credit practices in bilateral markets, and the quantifying of expected credit loss are described. Panels highlighting the need to know your counterparty in evaluating and negotiating bilateral contracts, and lessons learnt from the June 1998 US power price spike are presented