PRESS RELEASE 10/2004

Emission trading at Nord Pool

(Lysaker, 04 November 2004) Nord Pool, The Nordic Power Exchange will start trading and clearing of European Union Allowances (EUA). The products listed will be Forward contracts with physical delivery.

The EU Emission Trading Scheme is the main policy being introduced across Europe to handle emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, countering the threat of climate change. The scheme is announced to commence on 1 January 2005. The first phase runs from 2005-2007 and the second phase will run from 2008-2012 to coincide with the first Kyoto Commitment Period.

Nord Pool will launch exchange trading and clearing of EU Allowances (EUA). In addition, a clearing service for standardized OTC traded EUAs will be offered. Trial trading is planned to commence as of January 2005. Nord Pool’s first step will be listing of Forward EUA contracts with physical delivery. A spot contract will be introduced after 1 March 2005, when the national registries are in operation and when the Allowances are available. To operate the market Nord Pool will use the Electronic Trading System (ETS) PowerCLICKTM, offering continuous trading. In addition Nord Pool will offer manual Market Place Service functionality for those participants which do not have direct access to the ETS. PowerCLICKTM is today used for the Nordic power market and is already installed by a large number of Nord Pool’s customers across Europe.

Nord Pool Clearing will act as counterparty in all exchange trades guaranteeing both cash settlement to the seller and physical delivery to the buyer of the contracts. The solution will include netting of positions between Nordic power contracts and EUA contracts, so that the participants trading in both markets can utilise their capital in the most efficient way. In the trading period a pre-delivery option will be available for sellers. This will enable participants to reduce their daily margin calls by delivering the allowances physically to Nord Pool Clearing’s account in an agreed register.

Nord Pool’s Market Data Services will offer access to trading data related to the EUA market to information distributors, exchange members and other end-users through its Feed and FTP services.

“The establishment of the Emissions Trading Scheme is an important element in achieving the goals set by the European Commission for managing the risk of global climate change”, says Torger Lien, President and CEO of Nord Pool ASA. “Through our introduction of EUAs as new products for trading and clearing on the exchange we will enable our customers to manage their European carbon risk through a regulated market place”, he continues.

All relevant documents (Product specifications, Fees and Rulebook & Agreements) can be accessed at www.nordpool.com, including a guide how to become a member at Nord Pool.

Additional information is available via the following links:

Product spesifications
Fees
Rulebook & Agreements
Clearing examples
How to become a member in the Allowances market


For further information, please contact Nord Pool ASA:

Torger Lien, President & CEO, mobile +47 918 88 112

Hartvig Munthe-Kaas, Vice President, Corporate Communication, tel.: +47 67 52 80 84, mobile +47 957 06 505