Use of the grid
Updated: 17.01.2019
Author: Georgios Maroulis
There is a purchase obligation for RES-E and a regime of priority dispatch. As regards grid stability, the GTSC includes general provisions designed to ensure the stability of the grid and a compensation mechanism.
Procedure
| Process flow | The claim for purchase and transmission of electricity arises at the date of the conclusion of the power purchase agreement (art. 12 par. 1 Law No. 3468/2006 in conjunction with art. 1 FEK 1497/2010). |
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| Deadlines | The claim for purchase and transmission arises at the date of issue of the operating licence (art. 8 par. 5 Law No. 3468/2006 in conjunction with art. 1 FEK 1497/2010). However, this rule does not apply to certain small-scale plants that are subject to the exemption specified in art. 4 paragraph 1 Law No. 3468/2006. The claim for priority purchase of electricity produced by these plants arises after the trial operation period. |
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Priority to renewable energy
- Priority to renewable energy
- Non-discrimination
Electricity generated from renewable energy sources is given priority in the interconnected system (art. 9 par. 1 Law No. 3468/2006) and on non-interconnected islands (art. 10 Law No. 3468/2010). As far as hydro-powerelectric plants are concerned, priority is given to plants whose capacity does not exceed 15 MWe (art. 9 par. 1a Law No. 3468/2006). In addition, for reasons of safety However, priority might not be granted for wind power plants located in regions, characterized as “congested” for reasons of safety (art.8A Law No.3468/2006).
Curtailment
Criterion “N-1” is designed to ensure grid stability (art. 234 GTSC). In cases where grid stability is endangered and output curtailment is required, ADMIE shall inform the RES-E producers of the planned curtailment beforehand (art. 89 GTSC). ADMIE is obliged to undertake curtailment actions without discriminating against certain (groups of) grid users (art. 84 par. 2 GTSC). The Greek Regulatory Authority for Energy may decide which plants are not subject to curtailment (art. 84 par. 2 GTSC).
Special provisions apply for the compensation of wind farm operators in case of output curtailment. At the end of each calendar year, the Greek TSO or DSO pays each wind farm operator additional remuneration. The remuneration is equal to 30% of the energy cuts imposed during the previous calendar year. The above-mentioned percentage is raised every year until the maximum of 100% is reached, so that the total payment a plant receives is equal to
the payment it would receive if it operated for 2,000 equivalent hours, or
the payment it would receive if it operated without cuts, whichever is smaller (art. 13 par. 8 Law No. 3468/2006).
With regard to non-interconnected islands, capacity curtailment regulation is set out in the grid connection agreements (FEK 1497/2010).
Curtailment compensation is foreseen in the new Operating Support Contract for FiP (art.6 par.5 Min Res/F1/ oik187706) and wind power plants in the new Operating Support Contract for Fixed Price (art.6 par.5 Min Res/F1/ oik187701).
Distribution of costs
| Grid operator | The costs arising from the use of the grid are borne by the grid operator as its owner. This rule is not laid down in a specific law. |
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| Distribution mechanism | By imposing grid use charges, the grid operator may pass on the costs arising from the grid system to all customers connected to it (art. 276 par. 2 GTSC). The extent to which grid users such as electricity suppliers may pass on the grid use charges to the final consumers depends on the general energy legislation, whose implementation is monitored by the Regulatory Authority for Energy (art. 277 par. 4 GTSC). In addition, a Levy on the security of supply is imposed on all RES producers connected to the transmission grid, deducted from the payments to RES producers by LAGIE so as to finance the “intermittent charge” service (art.143b Law No.4001/2011). |
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Greece