CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SLOVENIAN ELECTRICITY MARKET

Following independence and during the period of preparation for entry into the European Union, Slovenia embarked upon the institutional and organizational reconstruction of the electricity sector, pursuant to European guidelines and directives. The basic goals were to achieve competitive electricity prices, and so reduce costs and increase the added value and competitiveness of the economy through the introduction of market relations within the operations of the electric power industry and between the electric power industry and electricity consumers. The performance of the electricity sector is an indication of the success of this reconstruction. The Slovenian electric power industry has accelerated preparations for the new challenges confronting the electricity sector - first of all the complete opening of the market and the market allocation of cross-border transmission capacities after July 1, 2007.