Overview

Singapore has progressively liberalised its electricity market. This allows market forces to determine the cost of electricity and will lead to improved efficiencies in the power industry.

For the consumer, a liberalised market offers more choices. Consumers eligible for contestability have the option to choose how to buy their electricity (visit Open Electricity Market for more details on the eligibility criteria and steps to switch to become a contestable consumer).

If you are eligible to become contestable, you can choose to remain as a non-contestable consumer or switch to become a contestable consumer. As a contestable consumer, you can choose to be any of the following:

  • Retailer Consumer: You can switch from SP Services and buy electricity from a licensed retailer (visit Energy Market Authority for list of retailers)
  • MSSL Consumer: You can remain with SP Services and buy electricity indirectly from the wholesale market (contact SP Services by phone at 1800 233 8000 or visit SP Services for information)
  • Direct Market Consumer: You can switch from SP Services and buy electricity directly from the wholesale market by registering with EMC. As a direct market consumer, the electricity you buy must be for your own consumption. You are not allowed to resell this electricity to others.

There are a number of conditions and obligations you must meet before you can buy electricity directly from the wholesale market. We are committed to nurturing a competitive and efficient wholesale market and are pleased to work with you to explore your options as a direct market consumer.

Direct Market Consumer Registration

Once you have made the decision to become a Direct Market Consumer, you can start your registration process with EMC. In the wholesale electricity market, people who buy, sell or provide services for the market are generally called market participants. The direct market consumer is a market participant, alongside generators and retailers.

When registering with EMC, you must meet a range of obligations and criteria specified by the Singapore Electricity Market Rules and the Electricity Act (Cap 89A):

Read and understand the Singapore Electricity Market Rules

The Singapore Electricity Market Rules act as a contract between you and EMC. You need to fully understand these Rules and their obligations for your company.

Sign a contract with the Power System Operator (PSO)

You need a contractual agreement with the PSO (a part of the EMA). The PSO is responsible for ensuring the security of supply of electricity to consumers and arranging for the secure operation of the transmission system.

Please contact Mr Chen Shuaixun at +65 6557 6002.

Sign a contract with the Market Support Services Licencee (MSSL)

You need a contractual agreement with the MSSL (currently this is SP Services). The MSSL is responsible for reading electricity meters to ensure that market participants’ transactions are correctly settled by EMC.

You must open a consumer account with the MSSL and submit the security deposit for market support services charges and transmission services charges. You must also set up an electronic business transaction (EBT) system terminal for transferring the relevant information and invoices to and from the MSSL or EMC. Please visit Open Electricity Market for the Market Participant Kit on the EBT system.

Please contact the MSSL for information.

Sign a contract with SP PowerAssets

You need a contractual agreement with the TL (currently this is SP PowerAssets). The TL is responsible for development and maintenance of the transmission grid in Singapore. To buy electricity from the wholesale market, you need a connection with the grid so that you can draw energy for your usage. In the NEMS, the TL offers a Consumer Connection Agreement (CCA) to all existing consumers who switch to become contestable. New consumers who switch to become contestable and request new connections are required to enter into a CCA with the TL. Regardless of whether you are a new or an existing consumer, you are required to provide a security deposit under this agreement.

Please contact the MSSL for information.

Obtain the right IT system

You need some basic IT systems to communicate reliably and securely with EMC’s systems. These technical requirements include one personal computer equipped with Microsoft Windows 2007 software, Microsoft Internet Explorer version 9.0 or higher, and a connection to the Internet.

Meet EMC’s prudential requirements

The wholesale market is a daily settlement market where you pay for today's trade in 20 days. This is different from the monthly settlement provided by SP Services and the retailers. You should consider the financial impact of this 20-day settlement on your cash flow.

To ensure the financial integrity of the market, we need to secure enough money in advance to cover a 20-day trade cycle plus any extra time needed to settle disputes and payment defaults. Therefore, we need enough financial security from you to cover 38 days of trade before we can register you as a participant. This security can be provided in cash, in Singapore Government Treasury Bills, in Bankers Guarantee or in any combination of these three forms. We will help you calculate the initial financial security we require.

Example of financial security requirement:
If the average wholesale electricity price is $100 per MWh and your average half-hour consumption, i.e., each trading period in the market, is 3MWh, then your financial security would be about $550,000. However, since the prices can vary significantly from period to period, EMC may call on you at any time to top up this amount within two days if your security becomes insufficient.

This top-up call (margin call) is made when your unpaid trades touch 55% of your financial security held by EMC. In this example, a margin call would be made once your unpaid purchases touch $302,000 and the amount to top up would depend on your expected trade.

Obtain your Company Directors’ resolution

You need a resolution from your company directors to participate in the market.

EMC is happy to work with you to understand these requirements and put you in touch with the right parties to discuss them. We need all the above documentation before we can register you as a direct market consumer.

How to Apply

Once you have considered all of these obligations, you may be ready to begin to register as a direct market consumer.

If you would like to meet with EMC’s staff about this option, please contact [email protected] at +65 6779 3000.

Please visit our page on market participant registration to download and complete the application form. Upon your submission of the form, we may take a minimum of 20 business days to process your application. We will consult with you if required and inform you in writing of the outcome of the application.