BritNed selects Unicorn Systems as partner for explicit auction solution

23-02-2010 BritNed, a joint venture between British National Grid and Dutch TenneT, selected Unicorn Systems as its partner for their explicit auction solution. This trading platform will enable market participants to bid for capacity rights on the BritNed interconnector in both flow directions between Great Britain and The Netherlands. Under the contract Unicorn Systems will deliver a business portal for the management of transmission capacity trading and will also operate and administrate the system, communicating directly with BritNed’s customers. The BritNed interconnector is currently under construction and following commissioning will enable commercial operations to commence early 2011.

Jonathan Maughan, Commercial Manager at BritNed: "After an extensive tender we have selected Unicorn Systems. The company has broad experience and a good reputation in the field of power engineering information systems and we are confident that they can deliver a system that fits the trading requirements of our customers." 

Miroslav Hašek, Account Manager at Unicorn Systems: "We are very proud to win such a complete large international contract once again. And we are looking forward to developing together with the commercial team of BritNed their explicit auction solution."

BritNed is a 1,000MW bi-directional merchant electricity HVDC interconnector and will provide 100% third party access to market participants who wish to trade electricity between the Netherlands (and the Central West European region) and Great Britain markets. It is an important step towards building a common European energy market and will facilitate further competition by improving the connection with European markets. BritNed intends to offer a blend of explicit and implicit auctions to its customers.

About Unicorn Systems
Unicorn Systems is a group of companies providing complex services and solutions in development, implementation, operation and service of information systems. Unicorn Systems is part of Unicorn holding and is headquartered in Prague (Czech Republic). The company offers their services to businesses and organizations from different segments across the business spectrum; banking, insurance, telecommunications, energy, industry, retail and services and the public sector. Unicorn Systems was also responsible for the implementation of the Damas trading platform and delivery of the hardware infrastructure, as well as service support for the solution (contract value over EUR 1.5 million).
More information: www.unicornsystems.eu 

About BritNed
BritNed is a joint venture between National Grid and TenneT and its headquarters are in Arnhem, The Netherlands. The goal is to construct and commercially operate an electricity link between Great Britain and the Netherlands. The BritNed interconnector will have a capacity of 1,000 MW and will be 260 km long. This €600 million joint venture will support security of electricity supply in the markets in both countries and will allow BritNed's customers to participate in European markets. 
More information: www.britned.com

For press queries, please contact: 
BritNed Development Ltd
Armine Egberink 
Telephone +31 (0) 6 57 71 15 67
E-mail armine.egberink@britned.com