The Essential Tasks of Third Party Market Operators/Facilitators in the Electricity Market (update)

Brussels, 16 August 2018 (updated)| In a number of EU Member States/EEA countries, certain functions related to the operation of the electricity market, which are necessary for the electricity market to work efficiently, are carried out by non-TSO third parties rather than by TSOs. These third parties, also called “Third Party Market Operators/Facilitators”or“Delegated Operators”, and the vital roles they play,are recognised in the European Network Codes and Guidelines.

The tasks performed by these third parties include, among others, imbalance calculation and settlement, data publication related to electricity balancing markets and issuing of the rules related to balancing markets. These tasks underpin the electricity market and represent the link between the physical exchange of electricity among market participants and the financial outcomes.

This document focuses on arrangements in the EU/EEA, although there are similar arrangements in certain members of the Energy Community, including Montenegro (COTEE) and Georgia (ESCO, also a member of Europex).

These third parties and tasks have been established across Europe over the previous two decades and represent indispensable functions in support of European electricity markets. They provide expertise in their areas of responsibility and contribute to increased competition and innovation. This type of third party arrangement currently exists in eleven EU Member States: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom as well as Finland, Norway, Sweden.

Please download the full paper below.