The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NDAQ) today announced the launch of its UK power futures market. This platform will operate under the N2EX brand, the current UK marketplace for physical power contracts and will open for trading on January 31 2011.

The UK power futures contracts will be listed and traded on the commodity derivatives exchange NASDAQ OMX Commodities Europe. The contracts will be cash-settled pound sterling futures with a full range of clearing services delivered by NASDAQ OMX Stockholm AB and the NASDAQ OMX Oslo.

The N2EX day-ahead auction is the reference price for the UK power futures. N2EX is the marketplace for wholesale UK power contracts operated by NASDAQ OMX Commodities and Nord Pool Spot AS.

Geir Reigstad, Senior Vice President, NASDAQ OMX Commodities, said: “Since the launch of N2EX in January 2010, volumes have increased steadily throughout the year. This positive development bodes well for the N2EX branded power futures market. When the futures market opens on January 31, we will be able to offer our members a superior technical trading platform with products listed on the world’s largest power derivatives exchange. The members will have access to a complete offering with both physical and financial products. We expect the two markets to grow hand in hand.”

NASDAQ OMX Commodities Europe holds a Norwegian exchange license and operates the Nordic power derivatives market and one of Europe’s largest carbon exchanges on one trading platform. NASDAQ OMX Commodities Europe is fully owned by the NASDAQ OMX Group.