Updated Baltic balancing roadmap
As of January 2018, JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls" alongside the other Baltic transmission system operators (TSOs) operate in a common model for balancing of power systems of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. To ensure this, the common Baltic coordinated balancing area (Baltic CoBA) was introduced and with it a common Baltic balancing market for exchange of balancing energy in a form of frequency restoration reserves with manual activation (mFRR) was established. In the coming years significant changes to the Baltic balancing model are foreseen to make it compliant with the requirements of European regulations and to ensure the Baltic TSOs compliancy with the rules and agreements of the Continental European Synchronous Area (CESA) after the synchronization with the networks of CESA.
In October 2021, JSC "Augstsprieguma tīkls" together with the other Baltic TSOs published Baltic Balancing Roadmap to inform stakeholders about the expected changes in the Baltic balancing model and planned developments. Baltic TSOs are actively working on planned activities and now Baltic TSOs have updated Baltic Balancing Roadmap to provide up-to-date and supplemented information and timeline. Main changes for the Baltic balancing model will be in respect to:
- Information on the planned joining time of the Baltic TSOs to the MARI platform has been updated according to the joining plan prepared and published within the MARI project. Also included is information on the Baltic TSO's decision to switch to separate imbalance control for each zone upon joining the MARI platform;
- Information has been added on the preparation of the Baltic aFRR market concept for public consultations, as well as on Lithuanian TSO "Litgrid" plans to start aFRR pilot projects before joining the PICASSO platform;
- Information on the transition of the electricity market (Day-Ahead and Intraday) to the 15-minute market period in the Baltics has been updated;
- Information has been added that, as planned, the Baltic TSOs have prepared harmonised principles for Baltic LFC reserve prequalification, which were published in April 2022. In accordance with them, the Baltic TSOs are preparing rules to be able to start the prequalification of resources for securing reserves during the beginning of 2023;
- Information on the forecasted volumes of each type of reserves and the time when they are planned to start being provided has been added. Information has also been added on the preparation and submission to public consultations of the joint Baltic balancing capacity market proposal, on the preparation and submission to public consultations of proposals for changes in the Baltic CCR cross-border capacity calculation methodology, as well as on the planned use of resources available to TSOs to ensure reserves.
The roadmap is accessible using the following link: Baltic balancing roadmap update