DTe: More Transparency on Import Capacity and Generation Capacity

The Office for Energy Regulation (DTe) has decided that electricity producers with a generation capacity in excess of five megawatts must provide TenneT, the manager of the national high-voltage grid, with up-to-date information on the deployability of production plant. On the basis of this information, the national grid manager will be able to anticipate situations in which a power shortage may arise sooner. TenneT also publishes this information on its website.

On the basis of existing regulations, large producers are obliged to make production capacity which they do not utilise available to TenneT. The grid manager can use this power to ensure that the balance on the national grid is maintained.

The so-called second transparency decision which DT published today follows the first transparency decision of 6 September 2002. This decision obliges TenneT to publish the total demand for electricity of the previous day on its website every working day. This gives market players insight into the relationship between volume and price. DTe has noted that the majority of regional grid managers, which are required to provide TenneT with data for this, have not done so. DTe has sent the grid manager is a letter informing them that they are obliged to do so in accordance with the Measurement Code.

In addition, DTe has extended the Grid Code with a scheme on the basis of which TenneT can determine how much cross-border transmission capacity is available. This makes it clear to market players how TenneT determines cross-border transmission capacity in a concrete situation.

DTe has developed the transparency decisions on the basis of the recommendations made by the Market Surveillance Committee (MSC) in October 2001 with regard to increasing transparency on the energy market.