Electricity transfers across the GCC are rising, but use of the interconnectors linking the six-member group remains ‘emergency only’: scheduled trading has petered out. Nevertheless Oman, which wants cross-border trading to be part of a planned electricity spot market, has agreed to become a full member of the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA).
The GCCIA says unscheduled electricity exchanges between current members – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain – have risen tenfold, from 80GWh in 2010 to 815GWh in 2013, though even the higher figure represents less than 0.25% of regional demand. (CONTINUED - 540 WORDS)
