European Integration

As we look towards a climate neutral economy, more work is needed to achieve the EU 2030 climate & energy targets. These targets include:

To meet these targets, we are increasing the amount of renewable energy on the network and planning for further interconnection.

The Third Energy Package facilitated the development of a harmonised European internal energy market. It includes two directives and three regulations, which became law on 3 March 2011.

The Third Energy Package of European legislation created a need for European Network Codes to cover grid connections, markets and system operation. These codes are designed to provide a sustainable, secure and competitive electricity market across Europe.

The transmission system operator manages the electricity transmission grid. Producers (who generate electricity) and major customers (who use electricity themselves or sell it on to small customers) are connected to this grid. They must follow certain rules to be able to use it. 

The requirements that users must meet to connect to the transmission grid are set out in three different connection codes. Each of these focuses on a particular type of grid user. The codes are:

The market codes play a crucial role in achieving Europe’s goal of an integrated single electricity market. They lay down rules to allow energy and available capacity to be traded between Europe’s national transmission systems.

The market codes are structured around the different time scales in which these trades can take place: long-term, day-ahead and intraday. They aim to foster competition, encourage the diversification of generation sources and facilitate the optimisation of the existing infrastructure. 

The codes are below:

To keep the electricity system reliable and stable, every transmission system operator draws up plans and schedules to prepare for real time system operation. This involves analysing whether enough electricity will be generated to meet demand and whether the system can safely handle the resulting flows.  

With increasing interconnection between transmission system operators, the operations codes provide rules and regulations governing how these systems are operated.  

The operations codes cover:

The CEP consists of eight legislative acts, which aims to decarbonise energy and facilitate better outcomes for consumers. It came into force during 2018/19 and covers:

Below are the eight legislative acts:

We are a member and play an active role in the following European associations: 

ENTSO-E - ENTSO-E represents 41 electricity transmission system operators from 34 countries across Europe. It promotes closer cooperation across Europe’s TSOs to achieve our energy & climate policy objectives. 

EUROPEX - A not-for-profit association of European energy exchanges. EUROPE represents the exchange-based wholesale markets for electricity, gas, and environmental markets.  

CORESO - Managing European electricity system requires effective regional coordination. CORESO is one of these regional initiatives.

As required by the European Network Codes and Guidelines, a number of additional documents are to be published either by ENTSO-E, TSOs or national regulatory authorities. Below are the documents and associated decision letters.