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Network code on electricity emergency and restoration

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Summaries of EU Legislation

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Network code on electricity emergency and restoration

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2017/2196 establishing a network code on electricity emergency and restoration

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It sets up an electricity network code* with the aim of safeguarding the security of the electricity system, and preventing incidents from spreading or worsening.
It aims to avoid widespread disturbance and the blackout* state, as well to allow for the efficient and rapid restoration* of the electricity system from the emergency* or blackout states.

KEY POINTS

The regulation establishes an electricity network code setting out requirements on:

the management by transmission system operators (TSOs) of the emergency, blackout and restoration states;
the coordination of system operation across the EU in the emergency, blackout and restoration states;
the tests, tools and facilities to guarantee a reliable, efficient and fast restoration.

The regulation particularly concerns:

TSOs;
regional security coordinators (RSCs);
distribution system operators (DSOs);
significant grid users (SGUs);
defence service providers;
restoration service providers;
balance responsible parties;
balancing service providers*;
nominated electricity market operators (NEMO); and
other entities designated to carry out electricity market functions.

The regulation covers procedures for:

consultation and coordination of TSOs with other parties;
regional coordination of system defence and restoration plans;
public consultation;
recovery of costs;
confidentiality obligations.

System defence and restoration plans

Each TSO must design a system defence plan and a restoration plan, in consultation with relevant DSOs, SGUs, national regulatory authorities, and others. The plans include, for example:

operational security limits;
the needs of high priority significant grid users and the terms and conditions for their disconnection and re-energisation;
the conditions under which the plans are activated;
instructions to be issued by the TSO under the plans;
measures subject to real-time consultation or coordination;
measures to be implemented by the TSO and DSOs and SGUs;
a list of substations which are essential for its restoration plan procedures;
the number of power sources in the TSO’s control area necessary to re-energise its system;
technical and organisational measures such as:
- system protection schemes;
- frequency deviation management;
- voltage deviation management;
- power flow management;
- re-energisation procedure;
- resynchronisation procedure;
- manual demand disconnection and re-energisation;
implementation deadlines for each measure listed.

Specific rules apply in the implementation of the system defence and restoration plans.

Each TSO needs to have in place the apropriate communication tools and to periodically assess and test the proper functioning of all equipment and capabilities involved in the system defence plan and the restoration plan.

Market activities

Subject to some conditions, a TSO may temporarily suspend market activities where:

the transmission system is in blackout state, or the continuation would decrease significantly the effectiveness of the restoration process to the normal or alert state; or
where the means to facilitate market activities are not available.

Monitoring

Implementation of the regulation is monitored by ENTSO for Electricity.

Companion legislation

This regulation supplements and is an integral part of Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 on cross-border exchanges in electricity. References to Regulation (EC) No 714/2009 in other legal acts should be understood as also referring to this regulation.

The regulation is also a companion to Regulation (EU) 2017/1485: guideline on electricity transmission system operation.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 18 December 2017.

BACKGROUND

KEY TERMS

Electricity network code: binding rules and procedures relating, for example, to:

network security and reliability;
data exchanges;
capacity allocation and congestion management;
trading related to network access services and system balancing;
transparency;
harmonised transmission tariff structures;
energy efficiency regarding electricity networks.

Blackout state: the electricity system state where the operation of part or all of the transmission system is terminated.

Restoration state: the system state where the objective of all activities in the transmission system is to re-establish the system operation and maintain operational security after the blackout state or the emergency state.

Emergency state: the electricity system state where one or more operational security limits are violated.

Balancing service provider: an electricity market participant who is able to provide balancing reserves of electricity to transmission service operators.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2196 of 24 November 2017 establishing a network code on electricity emergency and restoration (OJ L 312, 28.11.2017, pp. 54-85)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2017/2196 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

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