On Monday 28 June, the European Commission approved Austrian plans to establish a network reserve for the Austrian electricity market.
The temporary measure will remain in force until the end of 2025 and will contribute to safeguarding secure network operation and sufficient electricity supply in Austria, without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
Under this aid scheme, the Austrian transmission system operator, Austrian Power Grid AG (APG), will pay operators of power plants that have notified their intention to close down their plants, but which are relevant to keep the electricity system in balance, for remaining available to the network. Plants based on most polluting sources like coal, lignite or diesel are effectively excluded from the reserve, thanks to an eligibility limit in terms of CO2 per kilowatt hour emission.
In addition, foreign power plants (located for instance in Italy or Germany) and aggregators combining several generation or consumption units can also be contracted and subsequently required to increase or decrease production to keep the electricity grid in balance, if so instructed by the transmission system operator. In addition, electricity consumers can be contracted and subsequently required to decrease consumption, receiving remuneration. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)