1.7.2022

ACER and ENTSOG consult on the FUNC issue: how to ensure greater flexibility to book firm capacity at interconnection points

TwitterLinkedinmailTo
Image
Gas pipelines

ACER and ENTSOG consult on the FUNC issue: how to ensure greater flexibility to book firm capacity at interconnection points

What is it about?

The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) have discussed how to ensure greater flexibility to book firm capacity at interconnection points in an online workshop held on 27 June 2022. The discussion is also known as FUNC issue (ID 01/2020).

What is the FUNC issue?

The FUNC issue was reported by the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET) who has proposed to make firm IP capacity more readily available to shippers by enabling Transmission System Operators (TSOs) to offer it for sale in uniform price allocation (UPA) auctions (outside the auction timetable dates envisaged by the Network Code on Capacity Allocation Mechanisms).

What’s the way forward?

Several solutions to enable a more flexible capacity allocation process, as well as the urgency of facilitating this process, were debated at the workshop. To learn more, access the recording and the slides presented at the event.

To further inform its decision-making process, ACER and ENTSOG are now opening a public consultation to continue the collection of more detailed inputs from stakeholders, particularly in relation to:

  • how to optimise capacity allocation and

  • how to assess and prioritise the proposals presented in the workshop, as well as their urgency.

Special attention is paid to the current and fast evolving conditions in the EU gas markets and how a change in capacity allocation would benefit the markets.

Update as of 4 August 2022: The deadline to provide input has been extended until 18 August 2022. 

The inputs gathered during the workshop and the public consultation will be key for ACER and ENTSOG to prepare a solution note, closing the FUNC case.

Access the Public Consultation.