The National Energy Regulatory Authority (”ANRE”) submits new draft order for public consultation on the Methodology for the allocation of electricity network capacity for the connection of electricity generation sites, as well as for the modification and completion of some orders of the President of the National Energy Regulatory Authority on the connection of users to the public interest grid/electricity network. The draft order aims at allocating by auction available capacities for the connection of new generation/consumption and production sites with installed capacities of 1 MW or more.
Provisions
The draft order changes the current obligation of connection applicants to participate in general reinforcement works in electricity networks upstream of the connection point to a tender-based mechanism for allocating grid/electricity network capacity. In this way, the money collected from the auction is used by the operators to develop the electricity networks. According to ANRE President, George Niculescu, „one of the aims of the new Methodology is to ensure a competitive environment with greater predictability for the development of energy sources”. The development and management of the auction platform and the organisation of this activity shall be the responsibility of the transmission and system operator.
Stages and date of entry into force
The draft Methodology describes the steps leading up to the auction: calculation of available capacities, submission of allocation requests by applicants, preparation of the global/overall solution study which sets out the additional development works required to cover the capacity requested for allocation, connection and their value. Furthermore, the draft Methodology sets out rules for the organisation of auctions, the provision of tender securities and rules for the allocation of available capacities in atypical situations. The entry into force date is 1 January 2025. “The first auctions will take place from 1 July 2025 and will be addressed to applications for allocation of capacity for the connection of generating installations with an installed capacity of 1 MW or more, which the applicants aim to commission in any year of a 10-year period starting in 2027”, states George Niculescu, ANRE President.
Ongoing projects at any stage of the connection process shall not affected by the new order. However, if a user with a valid technical connection permit or an ongoing connection contract were to opt out and choose to apply the new order, this would imply the loss of the approved power, guaranteed by the connection permit, i.e. the reserved capacity in the grid/network.
Proposals and observations to the draft order may be sent to ANRE in editable format to the e-mail addresses anre@anre.ro and srpee@anre.ro.
Sources:
- Press release: ANRE submits for public consultation new rules on the connection of electricity generating sites to public interest networks by tender
- Draft Order approving the Methodology for the allocation of electricity grid capacity for the connection of electricity generating sites, as well as for the amendment and completion of some orders of the President of the National Energy Regulatory Authority in the field of connection of users to the public electricity grid