Agency for the cooperation of national energy regulators

KEY POINTS

ACER’s tasks

These include:

• assisting the national regulatory authorities in carrying out, at the EU level, the regulatory tasks performed in the EU Member States;
• coordinating action by national regulatory authorities and mediating and settling disagreements;
• providing regulatory oversight of regional coordination centres (RCCs)¹ in close cooperation with the national regulatory authorities and the European Network for Transition System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E);
• monitoring the cooperation of transmission system operators (TSOs) and distribution system operators;
• participating in the development and implementation of network codes and guidelines;
• adopting decisions on technical issues in relation to national regulatory authorities;
• monitoring and analysing the performance of RCCs;
• ensuring that nominated electricity-market operators carry out their functions;
• overseeing methodologies and calculations with regard to generation adequacy and risk preparedness;
• monitoring wholesale markets, collecting and sharing data and establishing a European register of market participants, in close cooperation with the regulatory and other national authorities;
• in close cooperation with the regulatory authorities, ENTSO-E and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas, monitoring progress as regards the implementation of trans-European energy infrastructure projects to create new interconnector capacity and monitor EU-wide network development plans.

Status

• In carrying out its tasks, ACER acts independently, objectively and in the interests of the EU.
• It takes its decisions autonomously, independent of private or corporate interests.

Opinions, recommendations and decisions

The agency issues opinions and recommendations to:

• TSOs, ENTSO-E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas, the EU Distribution Systems Operators entity, RCCs and designated operators in the electricity market;
• the single allocation platform² established in accordance with Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1719 on establishing a guideline on forward capacity allocation;
• regulatory authorities;
• the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union or the European Commission.

The agency has the power to make decisions in certain situations, namely:

• on approving the terms, conditions and methodologies applicable in all Member States that are provided for in network codes and guidelines;
• in relation to bidding zone reviews;
• on arbitration between regulatory authorities on regulatory cross-border issues;
• on exemptions from certain market rules;
• on infrastructure matters;
• on matters related to wholesale market integrity and transparency rules;
• for the purpose of information requests.

Monitoring and reporting

In cooperation with the Commission, Member States and the relevant national authorities, including the regulatory authorities, ACER monitors the wholesale and retail markets in electricity and natural gas, including:

• the retail prices of electricity and natural gas;
• compliance with consumer rights;
• the impact of market developments on household customers;
• access to the networks, including access to electricity produced from renewable energy sources.

ACER publishes annual monitoring reports that identify any barriers to the completion of the internal markets for electricity and natural gas.

In 2024, ACER published its first monitoring report on RCC reporting obligations.

ACER is required to issue a report on the impact of using peak-shaving³ products on the EU electricity market where a regional or EU-wide electricity price crisis is declared under Directive (EU) 2019/944, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1747, and a report on the impact of developing peak-shaving products on the EU electricity market under normal market circumstances.

Every 3 years, ACER is required to compile and make public a set of indicators and corresponding reference values for the comparison of unit investment costs linked to measurement, quantification, monitoring, reporting, verification and reduction, including venting and flaring, of methane emissions for comparable projects.