CERA suggests Cyprus' competitive electricity market will be launched in Autumn 2025

The competitive electricity market in Cyprus is expected to be operational in the autumn of 2025, according to a progress report the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (CTSO) submitted to the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA).

As reported by StockWatch, at the same time, CERA announced that the final implementation of the electricity market management software is expected to be completed by 31 March, 2024. However, as noted, challenges persist, including the staffing of the Cyprus CTSO with personnel dedicated to the operation of the competitive market, and the achievement of impartiality within the TSO.

According to CERA "the secure transition to the competitive electricity market cannot be ensured as long as the above crucial actions remain pending." These outstanding issues, it is noted, are deemed critical milestones and will determine the starting date of the final trial period, during which all systems will be tested simultaneously under actual operating conditions.

CERA notes that until the completion of the above, participants will continue to engage in individual checks and trials by the CTSO. It is further stressed that participants already have uninterrupted access to the trial platform of the Market Management Software to continue assessing the functionality of the systems developed.

Furthermore, CERA points out that in 2022, the Cyprus Transmission System Operator, in its capacity as the Market Operator, underwent two different trial periods of the competitive electricity market. These trials underscored the need for improvement in market management and metering data management software. Additionally, the importance of staffing the CTSO with its personnel is also stressed, to eliminate dependence on the Cyprus Electricity Authority (EAC) staff, aiming to create conditions for unbiased operation, according to the StockWatch report.