In October 2025, a historic shift is coming to the European electricity market. Starting this year, the European electricity exchange (Nord Pool) will move from hourly trading to 15-minute intervals, and consumers could begin receiving their first electricity bills based on quarter-hour pricing as early as October, 2025.
Previously, the target for roll-out was in June, but it has been confirmed that the roll-out will be postponed.
This change opens up new opportunities for optimizing heating, cooling, and other electricity use but it may also cause confusion, especially during the transition period. In this post, we’ll break down what this means in practice, and how Kapacity.io’s smart control service is adapting to this new era.
What’s changing?
Until now, electricity on the exchange has been priced in hourly intervals, with consumer contracts and smart controls based on hourly pricing.
Starting in June 2025, Nord Pool will switch to 15-minute pricing, meaning each hour will be divided into four separate price periods. This enables more precise optimization for those who can shift their energy usage flexibly throughout the day.
What if my electricity meter doesn’t support 15-minute measurement?
Not all homes and businesses will have 15-minute-capable meters installed by June 2025. However, EU regulations require that all electricity meters must support 15-minute intervals by the end of 2028.
During the transition, this logic will apply:
- If your meter still reports hourly usage, your consumption will be evenly split across the four quarters of each hour, and those quarters will be billed based on the corresponding 15-minute market prices.
- So even if you can’t see your usage in 15-minute detail yet, you’ll still be charged based on 15-minute prices.
Source: EU regulation on electricity market design (searchable via European Commission site)
How will this affect electricity contracts?
Many companies have already announced new contracts that let consumers take advantage of quarter-hour price fluctuations at least in Finland and Sweden.
However, not all contracts will switch to 15-minute pricing automatically. Some contracts may still refer to hourly prices, while others will update automatically. We recommend checking with your own electricity supplier for details.
How does Kapacity.io’s smart control service adapt?
Kapacity.io’s control service supports all electricity contract types from fixed-price deals to hourly and 15-minute dynamic pricing.
If you already have a new smart meter and a contract that uses 15-minute pricing, you’ll be able to enable 15-minute optimization in the Kapacity.io Cloud starting June 1, 2025.
Kapacity.io’s control system will manage your heat pump efficiently while keeping indoor conditions comfortable and safe.
What’s the benefit of 15-minute pricing for consumers?
With 15-minute pricing, you’ll have more chances to save by timing your electricity use more precisely. Instead of 24 prices per day, you’ll now have 96 pricing points, meaning 96 opportunities to optimise.
For example, heat pump operation, EV charging, or water heater usage can be shifted to the specific 15-minute windows when electricity is cheapest—no need to rely on full-hour averages anymore.
As smart metering improves and 15-minute contracts become more common, smart control services will be able to take full advantage of this new pricing model.
Summary
- 15-minute trading begins 2025
- Consumers will see their first quarter-hour prices starting June 12, 2025
- Electricity retailers must offer 15-minute dynamic contracts
- Kapacity.io’s smart control supports all contract types, including new 15-minute ones
- Older meters will split hourly usage evenly across four quarters
Still questions? Write as any time at help@kapacity.io for more info.
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