A report compiled by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and published on Friday 18 December states that Member States still have a long way to go to reach the minimum 70% of integrated transmission capacity that needs to be made available for cross-zonal electricity trading within the EU.
The minimum capacity margin available for cross-zonal trade (MACZT), which has to be met by all transmission system operators (TSOs), was set as part of the Clean Energy for All Europeans legislative package.
The ACER notes that this is an important target, because the greater the size of the interconnection capacity available for cross-zonal trade, the greater the number of trades that can take place, thereby improving integration of European electricity markets.
The report points out that, while efforts are needed in all Member States, cross-zonal capacity levels vary widely, depending on the type of border and geographical location.
The ACER states, for example, that, at high-voltage direct current (DC) borders, the 70% target was met most of the time, but with a few notable exceptions,.
At Alternating Current (AC) borders, on the other hand, there is a very diverse picture with significant room for improvement to meet the 70% target for most regions and borders.
The report indicates that there is significant room for further harmonisation across the EU of the process for setting up the action plans and derogations that Member States may adopt to allow TSOs to gradually reach the minimum 70% target by the end of 2025 at the latest, and that derogations should be granted only as a measure of last resort and only where necessary to maintain operational security.
The report can be found at: https://bit.ly/3p4Bcaa (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)