German day-ahead OTC baseload traded Monday at the highest level since April as wind power output was forecast to plunge from peaks above 13 GW to less than 3 GW Tuesday with a second surge in wind forecast later this week and wind generation possibly peaking above 20 GW overnight into Friday, according to sources.
Baseload power for day-ahead delivery was last heard OTC almost Eur7 above where Monday power closed Friday at Eur39.90/MWh, the highest close for a day-ahead contract in OTC trading since April 28, Platts data shows.
Tuesday peakload last traded at Eur44.40/MWh, more than Eur5 above Monday's price on Friday.
Epex Spot settled Tuesday base in line with OTC at Eur39.88/MWh, while the peakload spot contract settled below OTC at Eur43/MWh.
Hour 20 on Tuesday settled just below Eur70/MWh for both Germany and France, underlining the seasonal impact on supply and demand with evening demand rising and solar supply vanishing across the region.
Wind power output was forecast to plunge from 13 GW Monday lunchtime to around 3 GW for Tuesday's average baseload hours, according to sources.
By contrast, solar output was forecast to rebound from just 6 GW Monday to around 11 GW for Tuesday's peakload hours, a source added.
Germany's installed wind and solar portfolio now stands above 73 GW.
Nuclear availability remains at 10.6 GW with only the Neckarwestheim 2 reactor offline for planned maintenance until next Monday, according to plant operator data.
Coal plant availability was pegged higher at 13.2 GW for Tuesday, with lignite adding a further 17.6 GW baseload capacity, according to EEX transparency data.
RWE's new 750 MW coal-fired Hamm E unit remains offline until September 29 because of a technical failure, Germany's biggest power generator said on its own transparency website.
On the curve, October base rebounded 60 euro cents to Eur34.40/MWh.
Further forward, Calendar 2015 base traded unchanged at Eur34.90/MWh just before noon London time.
