RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, has decided to increase the overall NOME electricity amount to be offered over four auctions in 2019 by adding 520 MWh/h to the scheduled 1,444 MWh/h tally as a penalty for the main power utility PPC’s failure to reach an end-of-2018 market share contraction target.

The year’s auctions are planned to start with a modest electricity amount of 350 MWh/h at 2019’s opening session, scheduled for February 8, according to a just-released Energy Exchange chart detailing the distribution of amounts over the year’s four auctions.

Authorities are believed to have decided on a small electricity amount for the opening session so as to enable a reduction of bigger amounts set for the year’s three ensuing auctions if PPC’s ongoing bailout-required disinvestment of lignite units succeeds.

Independent suppliers have already reacted against the distribution plan for the year after interpreting this approach as a form of further protection for PPC.

The NOME auctions were introduced over two years ago to offer independent players access to PPC’s lower-cost lignite and hydropower sources as a means of intensifying competition in the retail electricity market, still dominated by the state-controlled power utility.

According to the Energy Exchange chart, 355 MWh/h has been planned for the year’s second NOME auction on April 17, 500 MWh/h is scheduled for a July 17 auction, and 767 MWh/h for 2019’s fourth and final auction on October 16.