The most active customers are found in Finland where 40 percent signed a new contract during the last 12 months. The least active are found in Sweden where only 25 percent recently signed a new contract.

In May/June 2022, Nordic energy regulators conducted a customer survey. In the survey, 6,000 customers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden answered questions about when they last signed or compared electricity contracts, why they were active or not, how much they know about their own contract, and whether it was easy or difficult to sign an electricity contract. A similar survey was conducted in 2018 and the results from the two surveys are compared in the report that is published today

Customers also seem to be more digital than four years ago. In Norway 17 percent signed a new contract to get updated information about their own consumption, for example in an app or on the supplier’s website. More customers are using comparison tools and are searching online for a new contract. In addition, the share of customers with electronic bills has increased. In Denmark only 6 percent still receive a paper invoice by mail.

At the time of the survey, the electricity prices had risen sharply. The customers in the survey then stated that their household economy to some extent been affected by the high electricity prices, and to a high extent that the price increase will affect their future choice of electricity contract.

Moreover, one in ten electricity customers in Denmark, Norway and Sweden had experienced problems with their new electricity suppliers after signing a contract. The most common problem was that the terms of the contract turned out to be different than expected or that the price was higher than stated in the contract. Eight out of ten of those affected by problems stated that they had complained to the company and seven out of ten that the complaint had led to a solution. Younger people experienced problems more often than older people.

In Finland only one in twenty had experienced problems after signing a contract.

Download the full report: Nordic customer survey 2022

Download the Nordic Customer Survey 2022:  Table report Total

The Nordic national regulatory authorities (“Nordic NRAs”) are launching a consultation on the methodologies for a common Nordic mFRR capacity market.  The methodologies have been developed by all four Nordic TSOs in accordance with Article 33, 34 and 38 of Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2195 of 23 November 2017 establishing a guideline on electricity balancing (“EB Regulation”).

The consulted documents are:

• Methodology on the common and harmonised rules and processes for the exchange and procurement of mFRR balancing capacity (art. 33)
• Exemption to the obligation to allow transfer of mFRR balancing capacity (art. 34(1))
• Amendment to the methodology of the application of the Nordic CCR market-based allocation process (art. 38(1))
• Explanatory document to proposals

Apart from the consulted documents, the following document is also enclosed for information, as it is necessary for the mFRR capacity market.

• Methodology for the market-based allocation process of cross-zonal capacity for the exchange of balancing capacity (still pending NRA decision)

The Nordic NRAs will assess and evaluate the proposals for approval within a period of 6 months or request changes to the proposal before the proposal can be approved.

The Nordic NRAs welcome written input on the methodologies at the latest 28th November 2022.

Comments shall be sent to post@forsyningstilsynet.dk with copy to slrs@forsyningstilsynet.dk.

Please mark your answers to the consultation with the following reference: Nordic mFRR capacity market.

Contact persons in NordREG

Stian Henriksen, NVE-RME
sthe@nve.no

Olli Taipale, EV
olli.taipale@energiavirasto.fi

Tobias Lusth, Ei
tobias.lusth@ei.se

Søren Lorenz Søndergaard, DUR
slrs@forsyningstilsynet.dk

Once a year NordREG arranges a seminar on Wholesale and Transmission Developments. This year the seminar will be held as a webinar on 5th of December 2022 at 10:00 – 14:30 CET.

(Note: The planned seminar in Stockholm on November 16th has been moved to December 5th and will be arranged as a webinar.)

The purpose of the webinar is to inform market participants, by providing regulatory input and oversight, in current topics handled by NordREG as well as encouraging discussions on topics related to the current market situation. This year we would also like to exchange Nordic views on the future electricity market design for Europe, which is currently under review by the European Commission.

Some of the topics that will be presented and discussed:

• Update on the flow-based capacity calculation process
• Update on ongoing projects related to the Nordic balancing model
• Current terms and condition under regulatory assessment in the area of system operation
• Nordic discussion and messages on a future electricity market design.

NordREG aims at having the Nordic transmission system operators as well as market participants and other stakeholders as presenters and panelists at the seminar. We also look forward to receiving input from the audience during the seminar.

Registration

We expect to circulate and publish a draft agenda later in November and hope that you will already now register for the event.

Registration: webinar December 5th.

Registration closes on December 2nd at 12:00 CET, after which a meeting link will be sent out.

When I register for the webinar, I consent to my personal data being processed by The Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate in accordance with GDPR.

Notice: This seminar is postponed to December 5th and will be arranged as a webinar.

For information, read the new post. Postponed date: NordREG webinar on Wholesale and Transmission Developments on 5th December 2022 | NordREG (nordicenergyregulators.org)

NordREG will arrange a joint seminar on wholesale and transmission developments. The seminar will be held physically in Stockholm on 16 November 2022.

The purpose of the seminar is to inform market participants, by providing regulatory input and oversight, in current topics handled by NordREG as well as encouraging discussions on topics related to the current market situation.

NordREG aims at having the Nordic transmission system operators as well as market participants and other stakeholders as presenters and panelists at the seminar.

We expect to circulate and publish a draft agenda later in October and hope that you will already now save the date.

We look forward to meeting you in Stockholm.

More information and registration link will follow.

Unfair commercial practices are a problem in all Nordic retail markets for electricity. The fact that no single authority has a complete mandate in this area, makes action more difficult. NordREG believes that coordinated activities between various national authorities are needed, but may be difficult due to different methods, priorities and mandates.

In a report published today, NordREG describes the situation regarding unfair commercial practices in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. NordREG also compares how responsibility when monitoring compliance with legislation is split between different public bodies and gives examples of remedial actions already taken in each country.

NordREG defines unfair commercial practices as when a customer’s behavior is affected by omitted or misleading information by a seller. Unfair commercial practices may also be practices and contract terms that do not fully comply with the intentions of the national Electricity Act and general consumer protection.

Concrete examples are contract terms that are unfair or changed during the contract period, prepayment that is not refunded, customers that are switched without consent and very short introductory offers that lead into less favorable deals without customers noticing it.

Suppliers that use these methods often target vulnerable customers, for example elderly people, consumers with poor language skills or small businesses not covered by the same legislative protection as household consumers.

The NRAs (National Regulatory Authorities) are the main public bodies that deal with the retail electricity market. However, since other regulation applies, i.e., general contract law, distance selling law and consumer protection law, the NRAs have a shared jurisdiction with other government agencies, or public bodies, on some retail market issues.

This split responsibility can, from a consumer’s perspective, sometimes be seen as ineffective, confusing and unfortunate. Customers may have to contact several public bodies before they can report a complaint or get advice and help. A consequence of this may be that complaints do not reach the right authority and unfair commercial practices are not dealt with.

Here, coordinated activities between various authorities may be necessary. However, they may be difficult to impose due to the different methods, priorities and mandates in the Nordic countries. It is also important that Nordic NRAs continue to share experiences and best practice regarding unfair commercial practices, monitoring and successful remedial actions.

In the report NordREG also lists the following problematic issues, together with possible suggested actions:

• Legislation that regulates the retail market for electricity is divided between the NRA and the consumer authority.

To counter this, coordinated activities between the NRA and the consumer authority are needed. Good communication and information flow between different authorities are essential. Sharing information and experiences between authorities can give a better understanding of complaints and lead to faster complaint resolution. Better information flow between authorities can also ensure that more unfair commercial practices are uncovered.

• Poor legislative protection for microenterprises that to a higher extent have become the target for unfair commercial practices.

Consider legislative changes to increase the protection of microenterprises. Improvements will also come with the implementation of the Electricity Directive.

• Problems connected to telemarketing.

Consider the need for written consent and/or an opt-in/opt-out system.

Read more: Unfair commercial practices in the Nordic retail markets for electricity

The Danish Utility Regulator, Energimarknadsinspektionen and Energiavirasto, have made national decisions to approve the Nordic TSO proposal regarding sharing of regional day-ahead and intraday coupling costs under Regulation 2015/1222 for the period 1 January 2018 to 31 July 2020.

The Nordic NRAs have assessed, closely cooperated and coordinated their assessment of their proposal. The Nordic NRAs agree to approve the proposal from the Nordic TSOs that the costs will be equally divided within the Nordic region.

• The decision of the Danish Utility Regulator
• The decision of Energimarknadsinspektionen
• The decision of Energiavirasto

In February 2022 Denmark, Norway and Finland will all have data hubs in place to facilitate wholesale and retail market processes. In Sweden, the work to implement a data hub is currently put on hold with no date for restart scheduled.

Data hubs are currently up and running in Denmark and Norway and under finalisation in Finland, with a scheduled go-live date on 21 February 2022.

There is no estimated go-live date for the Swedish data hub since the necessary legislative package has been further delayed. However, according to the Swedish TSO, Svenska Kraftnät, the project will be restarted as soon as legislation is in place. Depending on when the legislation is enacted, the estimated time to complete the project is 3 to 4 years.

NordREG believes that successful implementation of data hubs and the ability to centralise handling of market processes are key factors for the Nordic retail market to work effectively.

• NordREG Status report on data hubs 2021

NordREG notes that the Danish Utility Regulator, Finnish Energy Authority and Swedish Energy Market Inspectorate will initiate enforcement procedures against Energinet, Fingrid and Svenska kraftnät for non-compliance with an ACER Decision on the establishment of a Nordic balancing capacity market.

Background

On 5 August 2020, ACER adopted four decisions approving methodologies for the establishment of a Nordic balancing capacity market for frequency restoration reserves with automatic activation (aFRR). One of the methodologies (Annex I  to ACER Decision 22/2020) contains an obligation for the TSOs to submit an amendment to the methodology. The Decision is addressed to the CCR Nordic TSOs, i.e. Energinet, Fingrid, and Svenska kraftnät.

The CCR Nordic TSOs have submitted a proposal for regulatory approval in July 2021 as a consequence of the methodology as approved by ACER.

The Nordic NRAs have assessed the proposal and find that the proposal has no legal content. In other words, the proposal does not contain any provision that amends the methodology that ACER approved in its decision.

Therefore, the Nordic NRAs cannot see how the TSOs’ proposal can be approved. Further, it can be argued that the TSOs have not complied with the methodology as approved by ACER.

Under EU law, the CCR Nordic NRAs have the duty to ensure the compliance with ACER decisions addressed to “their TSOs”.

The CCR Nordic NRAs have considered how to ensure such compliance and will take appropriate enforcement steps vis-à-vis their respective TSOs. The aim of these enforcement steps thus is to ensure that the TSOs comply with ACER’s Decision with the shortest delay possible.

The CCR Nordic NRAs will coordinate closely when taking these enforcement steps, involving NVE-RME informally in the process as has been the case in the assessment so far of the proposal submitted by the TSOs in July 2021.

The CCR Nordic NRAs are keeping ACER updated of the enforcements steps taken.

For more information, please contact:

Thomas vom Braucke
Danish Utility Regulator
tvbr@forsyningstilsynet.dk

Jarno Lamponen
Finnish Energy Authority
Jarno.Lamponen@energiavirasto.fi

Tobias Lusth
Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate
tobias.lusth@ei.se

Stian Henriksen
Norwegian Energy Regulatory Authority
sthe@nve.no

Unfair business practices and how to monitor price comparison tools were in focus when participants from the Nordic Energy Regulators (NRAs) met to exchange experiences on how to monitor retail markets more effectively.

The Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish NRAs, as well as the Consumer Authorities, all receive many complaints on electricity suppliers that use unfair business practices, such as giving customers misleading information, using dubious sales methods or unreasonable terms. These activities have severe consequences for both individual customers and the overall trust in the market.

At the 4th Annual Monitoring Workshop arranged by NordREG, participants from the Nordic NRAs shared experience from national monitoring cases, compared possible remedial actions and learned from each other´s experiences.

The participants also discussed challenges regarding how to monitor the independent comparison tools that Nordic NRAs operate and/or regulate (in Norway the public independent comparison tool is operated by The Consumer Council).

It is clear that the different comparison tools face similar challenges and that it is valuable to continue to share experience and ideas to be able to provide Nordic customers with high-quality comparison tools.