Filenews 21 March 2024 - by Chrysanthos Manoli
In anticipation of the removal of the problems that delay the start of operation of the competitive electricity market, CERA proceeded to a new change of the rules for the transitional regulation in the electricity market, in order to facilitate the use of storage systems (batteries) by producers and suppliers participating in the transitional arrangement, but also to allow the supply of electricity from April 1, 2024 from photovoltaic parks and to domestic consumers, something that has hitherto been prevented.
However, estimates by energy sector stakeholders indicate that it will not be possible to supply electricity to residential consumers in the near future, at least not on a significant scale, since in periods of high consumption there does not seem to be available green energy within the Transitional Arrangement, other than that sold under bilateral contracts to large commercial consumers. For periods of low electricity demand, such as the one we are currently experiencing, a large part of the available generation (up to 50-60%, on weekends and holidays) is rejected by the Transmission Operator, in order to protect the stability of the electricity system and not even some commercial consumers contracted with private suppliers are adequately served.
The three changes
With its new regulatory decision, CERA amends the Regulations for the Transitional Regulation of Electricity, in order to achieve three objectives:
– Allow non-discriminatory participation of energy storage facilities (batteries) upstream of the meter (before the consumer's meter) in the Transitional Arrangement. Under the change, effective October 1, 2024, investors will be able to install storage systems and contract with renewable producers to store energy and sell it at times when there is increased demand or when photovoltaics are not. Already, CERA has licensed battery systems with a total capacity of 100 megawatts for stand-alone storage services, while another approximately 90 megawatts concern the licenses given to hybrid storage systems, i.e. batteries that will be installed by producers to support energy sales from privately owned photovoltaic parks.
Although the technological solution of storage is considered to redeem producers and suppliers from the particularly serious and economically damaging problem of cutting / discarding green energy due to very low consumption in spring and autumn, estimates of energy people indicate that it will not be very interesting for investors to implement now the permits they secured and install the batteries. since many of them are waiting for the publication of state plans to finance (subsidize) these facilities.
– CERA's second objective is to provide the possibility of representing a customer (electricity consumer) by two suppliers within the Transitional Agreement, ensuring the right of consumers, in their capacity as customers, to conclude more than one electricity supply contract at the same time, provided that the required connection and metering points have been defined, so that in case an independent supplier cannot cover all of the consumption 9in cases of cut-offs, for example) then the consumer can cover the rest of his consumption from a second supplier.
– Third objective, to ensure the general right of all consumers to choose a supplier in the Transitional Arrangement, without the need to change the meter. This part of the regulatory decision concerns domestic consumers.
