2007

Compliance with Electricity Regulation 1228/2003 and Congestion Management Guidelines - Criteria for Compliance
Ref. E07-EFG-25-03, 10 December 2007

In preparation for its 2nd compliance monitoring report, ERGEG has prepared a detailed list of criteria to assist regulators in measuring compliance in the areas of inter-transmission system operator compensation (ITC) mechanism, transmission tarification (TT), congestion management (CM) and, within that scope, transparency and new interconnectors. This criteria document consists of tables containing the issues to be assessed, their interpretation and the related criteria regulators will use in assessing compliance. The criteria provide a checklist for each of the topics, and their fulfilment is the necessary condition for qualifying as being compliant. The criteria document will be used as a basis for the questionnaire for collecting the information from the ERGEG member regulatory authorities for the second compliance report, which will be prepared and presented at the next Florence Forum in autumn 2008.

CEER Response to a Regional Independent Operator (RIO) proposal by EURELECTRIC
Ref. C07-GA-34-08, 13 November 2007

This CEER Response to a Regional Independent Operator (RIO) proposal by EURELECTRIC gives general views due to the fact that the proposed RIO model is not yet defined sufficiently (a point recognised by EURELECTRIC) to properly evaluate it against other models for regional co-operation and organisational structures. The CEER position paper contains a number of key messages:

- RIO is not a pre-condition for market integration
The RIO model (a model of joint regional ISOs) is just one of a number of alternative approaches to enhance co-operation by TSOs.  Regional co-operation by TSOs is practiced in various forms already today, enhanced in no small way by the ERGEG Regional Initiatives which are demonstrating results.

- European Commission’s (3rd package) proposals will in any case enhance regional co-operation
The European Commission’s 3rd liberalisation proposals (19 September 2007) contain a number of regional provisions on TSOs, regulators and Member States.  It should set up a framework that will allow for further regional co-operation by first obliging Member States and national regulators to have an objective and duty to create a single energy market and secondly through the EU Agency which shall monitor the new regional co-operation obligations of TSOs.

- RIO is not an alternative for effective unbundling
Improving market integration does not remove the need to resolve the EU’s deep seated problem of undue discrimination on the part of vertically-integrated companies. A strong precondition for RIO’s acceptability is effective unbundling. Therefore CEER strongly endorses the European Commission’s position (19th September proposal) that effective unbundling (i.e. either ownership unbundling or an ISO model) is a critical precondition that needs to be fulfilled in case a joint (regional) ISO is established.

Compliance with Electricity Regulation 1228/2003 - An ERGEG Monitoring Report
Ref. E07-EFG-23-06, 18 July 2007

ERGEG has monitored the compliance of Member States, regulators and TSOs with the obligations of Electricity Regulation 1228/2003 in the areas of Inter-Transmission System Operator Compensation (ITC) mechanism, Transmission Tarification (TT) and Congestion Management (CM). The report shows that compliance with the Regulation requirements varies widely. The CM Guidelines require that capacity allocation is coordinated and implemented using common allocation procedures among TSOs, but the ERGEG report shows that the regions are not fully complying. On transparency, only a few TSOs publish all relevant information related to network availability, access and use together with a report on congestion and its future management. Furthermore, publication of data is not yet coordinated within regions.

Towards Voltage Quality Regulation in Europe – An ERGEG Conclusions Paper
Ref. E07-EQS-15-03, 18 July 2007

This conclusions paper presents regulators' recommendations on what they see as necessary revisions to CENELEC’s voltage quality standard EN 50160. The Report underlines the basic principles of the regulators' action on voltage quality, customer protection (as voltage disturbances can have heavy costs on customers, especially industrial ones), and maintaining or improving actual levels of quality. The report lists a series of actions to revise voltage quality standard EN 50160. A role is also suggested for the European Commission; labelling electrical products according to their behaviour on the occasion of severe voltage events like dips, and promoting research on voltage quality issues in the liberalised market.

To view the consultation documents, including an evaluation of responses, please click here.

CEER Response to the Commission’s Review of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme
Ref. C07-ENV-09-03, 18 July 2007

The report highlights that the relatively short time period for which allowance caps are set impacts on long-term certainty and predictability. Moreover, the restricted coverage of the scheme does not provide a strong incentive for abatement to occur at the lowest possible cost. It is also suggested that greater harmonisation across Member States would be likely to result in a more robust and efficient scheme. The Regulators believe that free allocation of allowances creates distributional impacts and is not the most efficient method of allocation.

Cross-Border Framework for Electricity Network Infrastructure: Conclusions Paper
Ref. E07-ETN-01-03, 18 April 2007

This advice to the European Commission includes key recommendations on:

- Buildings and construction authorisations and permissions to build new electricity lines need to be clarified and speeded up. Political support is needed. An independent view of a project's wider benefit is needed.
- There must be EU obligations on TSOs both collectively (to develop EU rules for an EU grid) and individually (to comply with such rules)
- The development of a European networks body in electricity
- A European regulatory function in the form of an enhanced ERGEGplus to oversee the work of the European network bodies.

To view the consultation document, please click here.

Blackout of 4 November 2006: ERGEG final report
Ref. E06-BAG-01-06, February 2007

ERGEG has submitted to Commissioner Piebalgs (6 February 2007) the ERGEG Final Report on the lessons to be learned from the large disturbance in European power supply on 4 November 2006. The ERGEG Interim Report was published on 20 December 2006. See also press releases of 6 February 2007 (PR-07-03), 20 December 2006 (PR-06-17), 13 December 2006 (PR-06-15) and 7 November 2006 (PR-06-11) and ERGEG's letter to Commissioner Piebalgs, which sets out ERGEG's initial views on the lessons to be learned - not just from this disturbance but also from earlier events.

ERGEG Interim Report on Blackout November 2006
Ref. E06-BAG-01-05, 20 December 2006

Letter to Commissioner Piebalgs, December 2006