Policy risk
Q&A – RWE npower's Volker Beckers
Vanya Dragomanovich talks to RWE npower’s chief executive Volker Beckers about his hopes and concerns for UK electricity market reform and his long-term vision for the UK power markets
Is Remit too big a burden for energy market participants?
Remit, the EU’s new energy trading regulation, sprung from political concerns about market abuse. The provisions will massively increase reporting requirements for energy producers. But do they go too far, and is the body charged with collecting market…
Energy traders await position limits with apprehension
Pauline McCallion reports on continued concerns about the CFTC’s final rule on position limits for energy traders, which is expected to come into effect in 2012
Energy market concerns over Dodd-Frank
As the Dodd-Frank rule-making process rumbles on, energy market participants continue to voice concerns about regulatory overreach. Pauline McCallion reports on potential unintended consequences of proposed rules
Mixed opinion over compensation for energy intensive firms
The recently released autumn statement shows compensation will be offered to energy-intensive companies as a result of UK climate policy, but questions remain around the details of the initiative and the level of compensation on offer
UK power chiefs call for more clarity on UK’s Electricity Market Reform
With the UK's power sector estimated to need some £200 billion ($317 billion) worth of investment in the next 10-15 years, much is riding on the Electricity Market Reform, which so far lacks detail, say top power executives
Energy experts debate merits of speculators and position limits
CFTC and Goldman Sachs executives discuss role of speculators in commodities markets during times of volatility
EC committed to providing clarity on supply and trade transparency rules, says DG Energy policy expert
Clarifications on two sets of data transparency rules for European energy markets are in the works, according to European Commission policy expert
Energy Risk CEE: New EU regulations create confusion for firms, says panel
A new alphabet soup of financial services and energy market regulations are making firms nervous about their ability to comply, said panellists at Energy Risk's Central and Eastern Europe conference
CFTC’s Chilton: lessons learnt from MF Global
MF Global “new poster child for the need for thoughtful regulation" that must be "proactive, nimble, quick", says CFTC’s Chilton
More clarity needed over commodities clearing in Europe
European regulation aimed at driving more commodity derivatives trading through clearing is causing concern among small and medium-sized energy companies that don’t yet know if they will be exempted from the requirements. Gillian Carr reports
Reach of Dodd-Frank concerns energy players in Asia
Participants at Energy Risk’s Asia conference in Singapore criticised the long arm of US regulation, even as others said firms were showing willingness to voluntarily adopt clearing and pre-trade risk management
Regulatory concerns top agenda at Energy Risk Europe conference
Speakers at the annual Energy Risk Europe conference said the industry faces a range of serious challenges, including new legislation, supply constraints and volatility generated by renewables. Report by Gillian Carr and Jay Maroo
Ferc to re-examine wider impact of California power crisis
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has reopened a case concerning the impact of the 2000–01 California power crisis on the Pacific Northwest. Pauline McCallion reports
Acer to issue guidelines to clarify Remit definition problems, says Pototschnig
The head of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators says new non-binding guidance will appear shortly after the Remit regulation is published in the EU's official journal
Energy players assess MF Global fallout
MF Global’s bankruptcy is unlikely to significantly impact commodity markets, participants say, but could affect the Dodd-Frank rule-making process
Mifid II update: potential position limits and narrowed exemptions likely for commodity traders
Last month’s updates to the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Mifid II) and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (Mifir), the regulations implementing Mifid II, could have a significant impact on energy trading companies, say experts
Energy firms need to gear up for Remit insider-trading rules, lawyers warn
As early as December, energy trading firms could be subject to a compliance regime for Europe's complex - and confusing - new insider-trading rules
A divided CFTC approves new commodities position limit rules
"The pursuit by industry of legitimate and appropriate risk management is now made unduly onerous," says CFTC commissioner Scott O'Malia
Energy Risk Europe: energy trading firms' technology not ready for new rules
Many energy trading firms have yet to begin getting the technological infrastructure in place to comply with new EU and US financial market regulations, say panellists
Energy Risk Europe: regulators need to differentiate between banks and non-banks
Regulators should be wary about applying financial market regulation to all end-users, warn panellists
Energy Risk Europe: Remit language too loose, say panellists
Weaknesses exist in the language of new rules meant to prevent use of insider information and other forms of market abuse in the wholesale energy sector
Including global airlines in EU emissions scheme is legal, says EU court
Preliminary opinion of advocate-general says that US and Asian airlines cannot opt out of EU emissions trading next year