Entry barriers; Public Consultation and Hearing

NordREG has commissioned the consultant VaasaETT to map the regulatory framework and other conditions that a supplier and energy service provider faces when entering the national Nordic electricity markets. VaasaETT has made several interviews and carried out a questionnaire during the summer and early fall of 2014. The findings are presented in the report “Market Entrant Processes, Hurdles and Suggestions in the Nordic Energy Market – the View of the Market”. This report presents hurdles and barriers for market actors such as suppliers and Energy Services Companies (ESCO’s) entering and operating in the Nordic market. The report gives important input and understanding of what challenges these market actors face. NordREG may use the results as input when planning the continuation of the Nordic harmonisation.

Public consultation until 3rd November

NordREG invites you to participate in a public consultation of the report “Market Entrant Processes, Hurdles and Suggestions in the Nordic Energy Market – the View of the Market”.

All stakeholders are welcome to give input on the report. Please, use link below to a public consultation document:

The report and the public consultation can be found here

Invitation to Public Hearing 17th November

A public hearing will be held at Helsinki Airport in which the report will be presented and discussed. You are most welcome. The event will also be available via the web for those who cannot travel to Helsinki.

Place: Helsinki Airport Time

Finnish time: 13.00-16.30

Please note that places are limited.

Please register with:

Marie.kjellen@nordicenergy.org

Common Nordic Metering Methods

NordREG has mapped the national situation in the Nordic countries regarding smart metering. There are initiatives in all four countries that aim at having smart meters for the customers. This report contains a framework for a harmonised model for metering methods. The report includes fully harmonised elements and some exceptions that could not be harmonised. NordREG issues the following recommendations:

Metering method: Automatic meter reading should be implemented in all four Nordic countries for all of the customers to facilitate effective and functioning Nordic retail market. Time frame for implementation shall be decided nationally.
Meter capabilities: Meters should be capable to register energy usage at least on an hourly basis. However the time frame for implementation should be decided on a national basis. For cost reasons it could be allowed nationally to make an exception in the hourly metering requirement in cases when electricity consumption at the consumption point can be estimated exactly, meaning that the consumption is time-wise constant (e.g. combustion gas fans, automatic traffic control cameras, single traffic lights, street lights etc.).
Meter reading frequency: Meter reading should be done daily. For customer with low consumption, the meter reading frequency could be decided upon nationally. The meter reading frequency should be in compliance with the time limit decided for the balance settlement period.

Read the report Common Nordic Metering Methods

NordREG’s Work Program 2014

At the NordREG Board Meeting, on February 26, the NordREG Work Program for 2014 was decided.

In recent years NordREG has focused on laying down recommendations so that a common Nordic retail market could be achieved. During 2014 NordREG will continue the work on the main elements of the future common market and it is NordREG’s view that the analysis and recommendations provided earlier in the project are feasible and provide us with guidance for national implementation.

In addition to the work on a common retail market, NordREG will continue the work on developing and improving the functioning of the wholesale market. This work is to a great extent influenced by European developments and the move towards an integrated European market. The sharing of experiences within NordREG and with Nordic stakeholders concerning for example network codes will therefore continue and intensify during 2014.

As in previous years a Nordic Market report will also be published in 2014. During the year, a long-term business plan will be worked out, the plan would extend over several years.

NordREG Work Program 2014

For more information please contact:
Marielle Liikanen, Chair of the NordREG Retail Market Working Group, +46 16 16 27 46

NordREG recommendations for customers and market actors access to metering data and transparency

The Nordic electricity market is heading towards a harmonised retail market where the most critical barriers for suppliers to establishing business in another Nordic country should be eliminated.

At the same time the roll out of smart metering systems means that there will be new opportunities to handle and collect detailed information of customer’s electricity consumption. Historical and current consumption on-demand could easily be distributed between market actors such as suppliers, distribution system operators (DSOs), data hubs and energy service companies (ESCOs) for example.

But it is important to remember that the collection of metering data from an individual’s home could be seen as a violation of that person’s privacy. The data that can be collected through smart metering systems is considered to be personal data according to Working Party 29 . Therefore it is important to be very cautious about the handling of these meter values.’

NordREG recommendations on transparency

For more information please contact:
Daniel Norstedt, Chair of the NordREG Retail Market Working Group, +46 16 16 27 31

Regulation of universal service to be decided nationally

The Nordic energy regulators (NordREG) is of the opinion that the regulation of universal service provisions are of national concern and NordREG will therefore not issue any recommendations on a single harmonised Nordic model for universal service at this stage. However, energy regulators should nationally regard the effects on the harmonised Nordic end user market when developing the universal service obligations. Further, NordREG finds it important to issue recommendations on customer activity and neutrality by distribution system operators (DSOs), which is of great importance for the competition in the market.

The cornerstone for achieving a common Nordic end-user market is the supplier centric model. It implies that the customer should contact the supplier in a majority of cases on the electricity market. All Nordic countries have systems – with different features – where there is a default supplier for those customers who choose not to make an active choice in the retail market. This study recognises the risk of not needing to be active on the retail market as one of the key issues.

NordREG recognises that in order to create an effective and well-functioning retail market it is important to encourage customers to make active choices. Even if NordREG doesn’t find it necessary to harmonise universal service obligations within the Nordic countries at this stage, all Nordic countries should try to remove from their universal obligations such existing features which unnecessarily support customers’ passivity.

NordREG Universal Service report

For more information, please contact
Daniel Norstedt, Chair of the NordREG Retail Market Working Group
phone +46 16 16 27 31

Invitation to NordREG hearing

The Business process task force would like to invite you to attend the hearing on the 26th of February, in Oslo airport. The switching report will be presented. This report describes the future harmonised switching process from a regulatory perspective. Some of the subjects covered in the report are timeframes, responsibilities and content of messages.

You are welcome to give written comments until 28th February.

Switching_report

Registration

We need to know how many will participate in order to confirm our reservation so please reply no later than 20th February. Please also specify if you will stay for lunch or not.

e-mail:Peder.Soderlund@nordicenergy.org

Practical information

Place: Oslo airport, Park Inn (approx. 100m from the airport) Link to hotel

Date: 26 February

Time: 10:00-13:30 CET

Lunch: 12:30-13:30