DSO requirements for EU grid action plan

The DSO associations CEDEC, E.DSO and GEODE have set out a list of recommendations for the forthcoming EU grid action plan.

With the need for upgrading, reinforcement and expansion of the grids to deliver an increasingly clean energy powered energy system, the grid action plan, which was announced in the latest State of the Energy Union report, is set to be a key foundation and reflects the growing focus on the grids at the regional but also the global level.

The grid action plan, one of several that are being issued in the coming months, will be focussed on both the transmission and distribution grids and also was stated as a key action in the wind action plan that was issued as part of the State of the Energy Union update.

Some of the details stated are that the plan will help to accelerate key cross-border electricity infrastructure projects that will be crucial to integrating increasing volumes of renewables and advancing energy system integration.

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The plan also will include measures to address bottlenecks hampering grid reinforcement and expansion, including cross-border cost sharing and manufacturing, and will facilitate anticipatory investments to ensure the necessary grid development.

It also will aim to both accelerate the deployment of new infrastructure by addressing permitting bottlenecks, as well as ensure better use of the existing grid, for example by increasing visibility of existing capacities.

In their statement CEDEC, E.DSO and GEODE point to the particular need for expanding and upgrading the grid at the distribution level and make four recommendations:

• A stable regulatory framework that encourages proactive investments and with DSOs seeing an adequate return on their investments. To this end they pledge to consider a shift in DSOs’ income regulation with an approach encompassing both opex and capex and the establishment of a ‘Decentralised grid facility’ for funding decentralised energy infrastructure.
• Promotion of anticipatory investments, with the necessary tools and information.
• Faster and more streamlined permitting procedures including integrating grid updates into generators’ projects under a single permit.
• Support, investment and incentives for grid skills development by DSOs, public and private institutions and within the member states more broadly.

Following what he describes as “a long, extremely productive meeting” of the three organisations discussing distribution grid priorities with DG Ener, Roberto Zangrandi, Secretary General at E.DSO commented on Linkedin: “I trust this grid action plan will finally kick off a brand new attitude in interpreting and appreciating the decisive industrial role and competency of the DSOs in delivering the electrification – thus granting the energy transition.”

The action plan is due to be released towards the end of November.