New terms and conditions for balancing service providers and balance responsible parties, and a pilot for a smaller balancing energy bid

The Energy Authority has authorised the national terms and conditions for EGBL-compliant Balancing Service Providers and Balance Responsible Parties. The T&C will come into force by the end of 2019. In the latter half of 2019, Fingrid will also launch a pilot project for a smaller minimum bid size on the balancing energy markets.

Terms and conditions for BSPs and BRPs

In August, the Energy Authority authorised the national terms and conditions for BRPs and BSPs. The Electricity Balancing Guideline compliant obligations imposed by the new terms and conditions are already largely in place in existing agreements and practices, so no significant changes are foreseen. The new terms and conditions will be introduced in the agreements between Fingrid and the concerned parties by the end of 2019.

Piloting the minimum bid size of mFRR energy markets

Fingrid will launch a pilot project on the reduction of the bid size on the mFRR balancing energy markets from the current 5 MW to 1 MW. The purpose of the pilot is to lower the threshold for participating in the balancing markets and to increase the flexibility of the power system.

In Finland, each BSP may leave one <5 MW offer per operating hour. A prerequisite for participation is that the offer is activated electronically. The pilot will start in October 2019 and will continue at least until the end of April 2020. If the smaller bid size does not cause problems for Nordic power system operations, the 1 MW minimum bid size will be adopted more widely. Further information about the pilot will be sent to the BSPs when the contract attachments are updated.

The Nordic TSOs see the piloting of a smaller bid size as part of a smooth transition towards European balancing energy markets, since the minimum bid size on the European balancing energy markets is 1 MW.

Further information

Terms and conditions for reserve suppliers: Vesa Vänskä, Fingrid, tel. +358 30 395 5185

Terms and conditions balance providers: Jani Piipponen, Fingrid, tel. +358 30 395 4186

Piloting project for a smaller offer size: Otso-Ville Rinne, Fingrid, tel. +358 30 395 4142