On Tuesday 28 October, the European Commission approved an Estonian public aid scheme aimed at creating a strategic reserve of €750 million for the supply of electricity in emergency situations.
In place until 2035, this strategic reserve should support the production of electricity, which will be stored off the market and mobilised in emergencies, particularly when demand peaks and the production of electricity from renewable sources is low. Demand-side measures will also be in place, such as making it possible for high-consumption companies to reduce their consumption levels.
Selected on the basis of a competitive tender, projects will have to state an amount of aid corresponding to the production of electricity measured in megawatts in times of shortage. To be eligible, they will have to comply with the CO2 emission limits set out in the ‘electricity’ directive.
Having assessed the measure under the ‘CEEAG’ guidelines on state aid for environmental and energy protection, the Commission is of the opinion that the Estonian scheme will provide an incentive for beneficiaries to maintain production capacity and will not impede competition on the EU electricity market. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)