Fact sheet on international collaboration

TenneT collaborates closely with parties from other countries. We do this in various ways, for instance through organisations, projects and international agreements. Below you will find an overview of the various types of collaboration TenneT is involved in.

ENTSO-E
As of 2009, 36 European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from 31 countries are working together in a new organisation called ‘European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity’ (ENTSO-E). ENTSO-E ensures better collaboration between the TSOs in a number of key areas, such as the development of technical and market-based grid codes and the coordination of system operation and grid development. The objective is to improve the integration of the European electricity market, to contribute to a sustainable energy landscape and to guarantee the secure, reliable operation of the European electricity transmission grid. The creation of ENTSO-E will ultimately result in the discontinuation of existing umbrella organisations of TSOs, such as the European Transmission System Operators (ETSO), the Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE), Nordel, UKTSOA (United Kingdom), BALTSO (Baltic States) and ATSOI (Irish Republic and Northern Ireland).
Gridmap UCTE

CASC-CWE
In 2008, the TSOs Cegedel Net, Elia, EnBW TNG, E.ON Netz, RTE, RWE TSO and TenneT created CASC-CWE (Capacity Allocation Service Company for the Central Western European Electricity Market). This joint enterprise for cross-border services operates as an integrated auctioning agency and was set up to implement and organise long-term (annual and monthly) auctions of transmission capacity on the borders between the five countries in the region. CASC-CWE will facilitate cross-border exchanges for market players in Central Western Europe.

For more information visit
http://www.casc-cwe.eu/.

TLC
Since 2006, the electricity exchanges of the Netherlands (APX), France (Powernext) and Belgium (Belpex) have been coupled. This market coupling replaced the explicit allocation of interconnection capacity on the Belgian-French and Belgian-Dutch borders. It has created an integrated electricity market and represents a key step towards the integration of the northwest European electricity market. The three TSOs – TenneT, Elia and RTE – can thus ensure improved pricing and greater liquidity in the coupled markets.

CWE market coupling
In 2007, representatives of the national governments of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg, their regulatory authorities, the electricity exchanges and the grid operators involved signed a statement of intent regarding electricity market coupling and security of supply in northwestern Europe. The intention is to add two new countries – Germany and Luxembourg – to the TLC, to realise market coupling within the five countries and to promote further integration of Europe’s largest regional electricity market. The new mechanism will ensure greater coordination between the electricity markets and more efficient use of cross-border electricity connections. At the same time it will increase competition in the wholesale electricity market and enhance the security of supply.

TSO System Security Cooperation
The grid operators Verbund APG, Tiwag Netz and VKW Netz (Austria), Swissgrid (Switzerland), EnBW TNG, E.ON Netz, RWE TSO and VE Transmission (Germany), TenneT TSO (the Netherlands), PSE-Operator S.A. (Poland) and ČEPS (Czech Republic) have signed an agreement to expand the regional and European collaboration with regard to system security. The 11 participating TSOs, which together cover an area inhabited by 170 million people, have agreed to collaborate in the field of security. By means of the so-called ‘TSO System Security Cooperation’ the grid operators will set up a permanent TSO Security Panel and a common IT platform for data exchange. They will also perform joint security assessments. As a result, the grid operators will be better able to meet the increasing operational needs, particularly with regard to the integration of wind energy, the increase in so-called ‘loop flows’ and the growing cross-border trade.

Bilateral partnerships
Beside the means of collaboration listed above, TenneT has entered into a number of bilateral partnerships, for instance with National Grid (BritNed cable), Statnett (NorNed cable), RWE (new high-voltage connection between Doetinchem and Niederrhein and joint security centre) and Energinet.dk (COBRA cable).