ACER decides the capacity booking platform for gas to be used on the border between Germany and Poland
The EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) published today a Decision establishing GSA as the booking platform to be used at Mallnow interconnection point (IP) and the 'GCP' virtual interconnection point (VIP) on both sides of the German-Polish border.
The Agency became competent to make the decision after the German and Polish transmission system operators (TSOs) and the relevant national regulatory authorities (NRAs) failed to reach an agreement within the legal deadlines foreseen by the network code on capacity allocation mechanisms.
The Decision is valid for the following three years unless the concerned TSOs agree on a permanent booking platform before. The Agency encourages TSOs on the German-Polish border to reach a permanent agreement.
Access the Decision here.
Background
The network code on capacity allocation mechanisms (EU Regulation) requires TSOs to reach a contractual agreement to use a single booking platform to offer capacity on an IP or VIP.
The Agency became competent to decide on the matter on 19 April 2018. During the decision-making process, the Agency consulted with the concerned national regulatory authorities, transmission system operators and stakeholders.
The Agency requested offers from the three booking platforms active on the European gas market for their capacity booking services. The offers were evaluated against a list of criteria, containing requirements related to legal obligations that the booking platforms in any event need to comply with, and award criteria. The award criteria consisted of a financial aspect, on the one hand, and qualitative criteria, on the other. The Agency assessed all these elements to determine which booking platform submitted the most advantageous offer overall.
The Agency's consultation with stakeholders and evaluation of responses can be found here.
The Agency's letters requesting offers from the booking platforms can be found here.