Spark spread

The spark spread is the theoretical gross margin of a gas-fired power plant from selling a unit of electricity, having bought the fuel required to produce this unit of electricity. All other costs (operation and maintenance, capital and other financial costs) must be covered from the spark spread. The term was first coined by Tony West's trading team on the trading floor of National Power Ltd in Swindon, UK during the late 1990s and quickly came into common usage as other traders realised the trading and hedging opportunities.

The term dark spread refers to the similarly defined difference between cash streams (spread) for coal-fired power plants. These indicators of power plant economics are useful for tracing energy markets. For operating or investment decisions published "spread" data are not applicable. Local market conditions, actual plant efficiencies and other plant costs have to be considered. The higher the dark spread the better, for the generator; an IPP with a dark spread of €15/MWh will be more profitable than a competitor with a dark spread of only €10/MWh.

Further definition of clean spread indicators include the price of carbon dioxide emission allowances (see: Emission trading).

Spark spread is defined as:

Both prices in the above formula must be in the same currency and must refer to the same energy unit (usually MWh).

A precise definition of a spark spread has to be given by the source publishing such indicators. Definitions should specify energy (electricity and fuel) prices considered (delivery point & conditions) and the plant efficiency used for the calculation. Also, any plant operating costs that may be included should be stated. (see: Methodology of Powernext).

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