Nordic regulators urge the Nordic TSOs to continue to strive to avoid delays in the implementation of the 15 minute imbalance settlement period in the Nordics

The Nordic energy regulators take note of a high risk of a delay in the implementation of the 15 minute imbalance settlement period in the Nordics, and urge the TSOs to continue to strive to avoid delays and to present an ambitious and realistic implementation plan as soon as possible.

On the 14 of March 2019, the Nordic Transmission System Operators (TSO) issued a joint press release on the implementation of the 15 minutes imbalance settlement period, part of the so-called Nordic Balancing Model (NBM).

The press release reads that there is a high risk of delay in implementing a 15 minutes imbalance settlement period (ISP) by December 2020.  Moreover, the Nordic TSOs commit themselves to an enhanced stakeholder involvement in the NBM implementation.

The Nordic energy regulators welcome the commitment by the Nordic TSOs to enhance stakeholder involvement in the NBM implementation, i.a. through a Nordic TSO stakeholder workshop in April.

The Nordic energy regulators support a 15 minutes ISP, as it is a key factor in enabling a more efficient system operation, an efficient integration of renewables and a closer market integration with the rest of Europe.

The Nordic energy regulators issued a press release to this effect on 19 December 2018 expecting a coordinated move to 15 minutes ISP by 18 December 2020 and highlighting the close dialogue between the regulators and the Nordic TSOs to meet this ambition.

The Nordic energy regulators note that the Nordic TSOs now see a high risk of a delay in meeting the 18 December 2020 deadline for a 15 minutes ISP. The deadline stems from the EU Regulation 2017/2195 establishing a guideline on electricity balancing (EBGL).

A delay in the implementation of 15 minute ISP is subject to a formal procedure set in the EBGL for both TSOs and NRAs to follow if TSOs, either jointly or individually, would request a regulatory approval of a delay. The Nordic energy regulators underline the importance of a coordinated and joint Nordic implementation of 15 minute ISP. So far, the Nordic TSOs have not filed a request.

The Nordic energy regulators urge the Nordic TSOs to continue to strive for implementing the ISP without extending the deadline and to present an ambitions and realistic implementation plan as soon as possible. The Nordic energy regulators encourage the Nordic TSOs to consult with stakeholders and thus to draw on their insight when drafting such an implementation plan; the implementation will not least affect stakeholders in terms of investments, IT-development etc.

The Nordic energy regulators thus will continue the close dialogue with the Nordic TSOs on a coordinated implementation of a 15 minutes ISP, as delays or lack of coordination might diminish the benefits of the 15 minutes ISP.

Background

The requirement to implement the 15 minutes ISP stems from EBGL article 53.

EBGL article 62 sets out the conditions to derogate from the deadline in article 53.

Contact

NVE – Stian Henriksen (sthe@nve.no)

EV – Jarno Lamponen (Jarno.Lamponen@energiavirasto.fi)

Ei – Elin Larsson (elin.larsson@ei.se)

DUR – Peter Christian Olsen (pco@forsyningstilsynet.dk)