Reuters coverage leads to drop in Spanish power prices

Spanish power prices dropped on April 6 after Reuters broke news that the Trillo nuclear power station had finished refueling. The Spanish regulator does not reveal when reactors reconnect to the grid after maintenance, so vigilance is required to determine when they are back on line. Day-ahead power — a benchmark on the deregulated market — fell to 35.86 euros per megawatt-hour from 37.33 the day before. Nuclear power moves the market because utilities can sell it at a discount to electricity generated from gas, coal or oil.