Consultation on risk preparedness regulation

09.07.2019

The European Parliament adopted the “Clean Energy for All Europeans Package” (CEP) on 26 March 2019, which was then formally approved by the relevant EU ministers. On 4 July, the CEP finally came into force, introducing new laws on EU electricity trading, including the “Regulation 2019/941 on risk-preparedness in the electricity sector”. This Regulation requires the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) to develop the methodology to identify regional scenarios for electricity crises within six months of its implementation.

ENTSO-E has now prepared proposals for the “Methodology for identification of electricity crisis scenarios at a regional level” and the “Methodology for short term and seasonal adequacy assessment”. In order to receive input from stakeholders, ENTSO-E has launched a public consultation on these methodology propositions. The consultation is open until 8 October 2019 and ENTSO-E will also host a webinar on the risk preparedness methodologies on 5 September from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

ENTSO-E opens consultation on EU Risk Preparedness Regulation

Linkup
> See ENTSO-E press release (html)
> Direct access to ENTSO-E consultation (html)
> Open webinar registration site (html)
> See EU Regulation at EUR-Lex (html)

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Vigour and wisdom – welcome, Kristóf and Ana!

08.07.2019

One male, the other female, one with decades of professional experience, the other with only three years in the profession at the beginning of her career – the two new hires in the Service Development Business Unit seem to be exemplarily diverse.

Let’s start with Kristóf Almási, the new Senior Business Implementation Manager. The 55-year-old Hungarian is well-known to many in our industry: For around 30 years he worked for one of our shareholders, the national electricity transmission system operator (TSO) MAVIR and its predecessor company. During this time, Kristóf also completed his MBA at the Technical University of Budapest, where he also earned an MSC in Electrical Power Engineering and a postgraduate MSC in Development Engineering. At MAVIR he has been involved in network operation planning since 2001, including network modelling and calculation, system protection, and international cooperation.

Assured of a good future
“For me, TSCNET is the company of the future that shapes the processes of the future,” says Kristóf, explaining why he moved here and thus abroad for the first time. In his function, he is primarily concerned with the implementation of new or changed tasks arising from the various requirements of the European institutions. The first task is the harmonisation of the system defence and restoration plans of the TSOs in cooperation with ENTSO-E. His experience and the fact that he knows the perspective of a TSO like the back of his hand are worth their weight in gold.

Is there anything else special about him? Definitely. He likes cycling, hiking, rowing and skiing – “with less and less intensity and more and more caution as I age,” he adds. He is a hobby musician, has been singing in a choir since his childhood and can even play the organ. And with one special aspect he has a real unique selling point: he is at least currently the only grandfather at TSCNET Services.

Don’t let the ball hit the ground
Ana Žanetić has been staffed as Business Analyst. In this function, the 28-year-old Croatian wants to continuously increase the efficiency of our company together with all her colleagues. After completing her Master’s in Electrical Power Engineering in 2015, Ana worked in planning and preparing the production of electrical generators and later as a software analyst for MES (Manufacturing Execution System) software and Business Intelligence Developer. At TSCNET, she can perfectly combine her professional interests in Power Systems and Business Analysis. And after work? Then she just loves to play volleyball (and is looking forward to some of her new colleagues on the court).

“A healthy mix of youthful vigor and traditional wisdom can give your business both stability and innovation,” writes the “D!gitalist Magazine”. We are delighted that with Kristóf and Ana we have brought on board just the right mix for Service Development.

TSCNET Services has welcomed Kristóf Almási and Ana Žanetić for the Service Development Business Unit

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New FCR market design

04.07.2019

The collaboration of central European transmission system operators (TSOs) in the procurement and exchange of Frequency Containment Reserve (FCR) is the first regional cooperation in Europe to implement market harmonisation in compliance with the EU Guideline on Electricity Balancing (EBGL). The TSOs that make up the FCR consortium are: the Austrian, German and Swiss TSCNET shareholders APG, 50Hertz, Amprion, TransnetBW, and Swissgrid, the Dutch-German shareholder TenneT as well as the Belgian TSO Elia and the French TSO RTE, which are supplemented by further TSCNET shareholder Energinet from Denmark as non-active member.

The FCR cooperation was founded in the summer of 2016 and has conducted two consultation rounds in the last two years, resulting in a final proposal, which was approved by all national regulators involved. The first milestone in the advancement of the largest FCR market in Europe has now been reached in the implementation of a new FCR market design. In addition to shortening the product length from a week to a day, the cooperation introduces a marginal pricing system. The aim is to reduce procurement costs and create incentives for new balancing power providers and technologies to enter the market.

The FCR cooperation introduces a new market design

Linkup
> See TenneT press release, in German (html)

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Kamilla Csomai resigns as CEO of MAVIR

01.07.2019

The top management of TSCNET shareholder MAVIR, the Hungarian transmission system operator (TSO), is undergoing a change, after Kamilla Csomai successfully headed the company in the last challenging years. By mutual agreement, Mrs Csomai resigned from her CEO position with effect from June 21, 2019. The company’s Supervisory Board shall decide on the succession of the CEO later on.

Since 2010, Kamilla Csomai has held leading positions in the company, including Deputy CFO and member of the Supervisory Board as well as the Board of Directors. She has been CEO of MAVIR since 2015 and in this position has attached great importance to the company’s international and regional commitment, including European and regional cooperation initiatives. The departing CEO is also a member of the Board of Directors of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and Chairman of the Hungarian National Committee of the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE).

Kamilla Csomai is leaving MAVIR (picture of Budapest, the capital of Hungary: Kirk Fisher, Pixabay)

Linkup
> See MAVIR press release (html)

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New ENTSO-E leadership team elected

28.06.2019

The Assembly of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) has elected a new leadership team for the next two years, taking office today. The new President is Hervé Laffaye, Deputy CEO of RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité), the French transmission system operator (TSO). Vice President is Zbyněk Boldiš, member of the Board of Directors of our shareholder and customer ČEPS, the Czech TSO. The Board is chaired by Joachim Vanzetta, Director of System Control at Amprion, one of the four German TSOs. Of our shareholders and customers, also Tahir Kapetanovic (APG), SØren Dupont Kristensen (Energinet), Konrad Purchała and Robert Paprocki (both PSE), Frank-Peter Hansen (TenneT), Michael Jesberger (TransnetBW), and Yves Zumwald (Swissgrid) belong to the ENTSO-E team.

“ENTSO-E’s agenda comprises several strategic targets to support the TSO community in preparing the power system of 2020, 2030 and beyond, in ensuring transparent implementation of existing and new legislation while keeping an excellent level of system security,” explains Joachim Vanzetta. The background is shaped by the implementation of the Clean Energy Package and the design of the future European electricity market design. Particular attention will be paid to the issue of system security in times of energy system transformation and European climate targets.

The ENTSO-E Assembly has elected a new leadership team – on the left the new ENTSO-E President Hervé Laffaye (RTE), on the right Chair of the Board Joachim Vanzetta (Amprion)

Linkup
> Open ENTSO-E press release (html)

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Investing for the energy future

27.06.2019

TSCNET shareholder Amprion, one of the four German transmission system operators (TSOs), presents its Annual Report 2018 on a specially designed website. What, from a TSO’s perspective, is most necessary for the successful energy transition in Germany – the sustainable expansion of the transmission system so that green electricity can be provided nationwide – is clearly reflected in Amprion’s figures for 2018: Amprion further increased its investments in grid extension, which amounted to €763m in 2018 and were 8.5% higher than in the previous year.

However, it is not sufficient for TSOs alone to fulfil their role, especially as grid extension needs to be accelerated significantly to keep pace with the expansion of the renewables. Politics must also help by setting the right course to promote the cross-sector transformation of the energy system. Amprion therefore calls for a national master plan for electricity and gas. Dr. Klaus Kleinekorte, CTO at Amprion, explains: “It is not enough just to connect renewable energies to the grid. From our system responsibility, we have the task of integrating them into the energy system.” This requires innovative concepts and technologies such as power-to-gas.

Dr. Hans-Jürgen Brick, Chief Commercial Officer and CFO of Amprion, adds at the company’s annual press conference in the German capital of Berlin, that the expansion of the electricity system as outlined in the German Network Development Plan remains the indispensable basis for achieving the climate targets and the secure and cost-effective power supply of the German conurbations. “Amprion is thus investing more than €9.3bn in its grid over the next ten years.”

Amprion presents Annual Report 2018 (picture: Amprion)

Linkup
> See Amprion press release, in German (html)
> Visit Annual Report 2018 site, in German (html, with download options)

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TSO offshore connections are most cost-effective

26.06.2019

In most European countries with offshore wind farms, the respective transmission system operators (TSOs) are responsible for connecting these offshore facilities to the onshore grid, which they also operate. The TSCNET shareholders affected by this arrangement include the north-eastern German TSO 50Hertz, the Danish TSO Energinet and the Dutch-German TSO TenneT. But obviously this handling is not the only one possible. In the UK, for instance, the developer of the particular offshore wind farm is also responsible for its grid connection.

In concrete terms, this means that in the UK the offshore grid connection after its completion is sold to commercial investors and a so-called OFTO (Offshore Transport Owner) is established. But which model, the TSO model or the OFTO model, causes the lowest costs for consumers and thus for society?

The internationally accredited registrar and the world’s largest classification society, DNV GL, has investigated this question in more detail. The main outcomes of this study are that in the OFTO system the costs for the development of offshore connections are significantly higher than in Denmark and the Netherlands. In contrast, the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) of the Dutch and Danish offshore connections is significantly lower. The LCOE assesses the average total cost of constructing and operating an energy generating asset over its lifetime divided by its total energy output over that lifetime.

DNV GL has documented lower costs for the TSO connection of offshore wind farms than for the OFTO solution (illustration of Borssele Alpha: TenneT)

Linkup
> See TenneT news release (html)
> Open DNV-GL report (pdf, 453.83kb)

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Stefan Kapferer appointed new 50Hertz CEO

26.06.2019

At its meeting on 25 June, the Supervisory Board of TSCNET shareholder 50Hertz, one of the four German transmission system operators (TSOs), appointed Stefan Kapferer as the company’s new CEO. Kapferer is currently chairman of the executive board and member of the presidium of the German Energy and Water Association (Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft – BDEW). He will take up his duties at 50Hertz on 1 January 2020 at the latest.

Stefan Kapferer has sound institutional and economic experience. Among other positions, he was State Secretary in Lower Saxony, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Economics and chairman of the supervisory board of the German Energy Agency. From 2014 to 2016, Mr Kapferer was Deputy Secretary General of the OECD in Paris before joining BDEW in 2016.

Chris Peeters, chairperson of the 50Hertz supervisory board, emphasises Kapferer’s “deep understanding of the political and social evolutionary trends in Germany – exactly the right mix for a 50Hertz CEO: after all, as system operators we provide services to society”. Mr Kapferer himself comments on his new area of responsibility: “I am very eager to face the exciting challenge of contributing to the practical implementation of the energy transition at 50Hertz.”

Stefan Kapferer (here right next to Elia Group CEO Chris Peeters) is appointed as the new CEO of 50Hertz (picture: 50Hertz / Jan Pauls)

Linkup
> See 50Hertz press release (html)

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Imminent test operation for COBRAcable

24.06.2019

COBRAcable, the first direct interconnection between the electricity markets of Denmark and the Netherlands, is a joint project of the two TSCNET shareholders Energinet, the Danish transmission system operator (TSO), and TenneT, the Dutch-German TSO. Since spring, the partner TSOs have been preparing the commercial operation of COBRAcable. TenneT and Energinet have now launched an Urgent Market Messages (UMM) site for the commissioning of COBRAcable, which is scheduled to take place between 3 July 2019 and 6 September 2019.

A total of around 30 individual tests with different energy charges in the respective transport directions are planned. It is expected that the full capacity of COBRAcable will be available for the day ahead and intraday markets from 7 September. TenneT and Energinet then will offer financial transmission rights on COBRAcable at monthly and annual auctions. The first auction is expected to take place after a full month of stable operation, so probably the auction for November 2019, which will be held in October.

By promoting the exchange of surplus wind energy, COBRAcable will improve the cohesion of the European transmission system and the integration of the electricity market. It will also make a sustainable contribution to the low carbon energy future by allowing future offshore wind farms in the North Sea to be hooked up to the DC interconnector.

Energinet and Tennet will carry out individual tests of COBRAcable as of 3 July (picture: screenshot taken from TenneT video “COBRAcable Cable Pull Fano Denmark Film”, YouTube)

Linkup
> See Energinet press release (html)
> Visit REMIT UMM site (html)

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Romanian legislation promotes energy infrastructure

21.06.2019

In Romania, a new law adopted by President Klaus Iohannis on 20 June facilitates nationally important extensions to the transmission system infrastructure. The act promotes the implementation of important investment projects for Romania’s energy security, the construction of overhead lines and compliance with time limits for projects with European financing.

The Romanian transmission system operator (TSO) and TSCNET shareholder Transelectrica expressly welcomes the new legislation. Marius Dănuţ Carașol, chairman of the Transelectrica Directorate, highlights the positive effects on the TSO’s expansion efforts, for example by reducing bureaucratic obstacles.

New Romanian legislation facilitates grid extension (picture showing the Parliament building in Romania’s capital Bucharest: Mari Ana / Pixabay)

Linkup
> See Transelectrica press release, in Romanian (html)

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