EU Power Trade Yields €32B a Year, but Congestion Costs Hit €5.4B
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EU – November 04, 2026 -- Cross-border electricity trading generates about €32 billion in economic surplus each year in the EU day-ahead market alone, and deeper integration across all market timeframes could add at least €4 billion annually, according to the ACER 2026 Monitoring Report.
15-minute products now make up almost 90% of day-ahead volumes
Day-ahead trading has largely moved to 15-minute products, which were introduced on 1 October 2025 to better reflect changing system conditions. Power purchase agreements increasingly pair renewable generation with energy storage, which supports renewable investment and adds flexibility.
Congestion management costs rose to €5.4 billion in 2025
Grid congestion costs climbed from €4.3 billion in 2024 to €5.4 billion in 2025. A growing share is linked to voltage control following the Iberian blackout.