OPCOM

Vienna, Berlin, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Bucharest, Bratislava
18th March 2021

Updated test planning of the DE-AT-PL-4M MC (Interim Coupling) Project

The Nominated Electricity Market Operators (NEMOs) and Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from Austria, Germany, Poland and the 4M Market Coupling (4M MC) countries, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, hereby inform stakeholders about the slight update of the test planning of the project.

Project parties have successfully finished the first phase of joint regional testing (Full Integration Testing - FIT) in the end of February 2021. Following an updated test planning and alignment with all European TSOs and NEMOs at Single Day-ahead Market Coupling (SDAC) level, the next phase of the testing (Simulation Integration Testing – SIT) focusing on the testing of regional operational procedures will start in the second half of March 2021. The go-live of the project is planned for 10th of June 2021, subject to confirmation of technical and legal readiness by all parties.

As a result of the updated planning, the regional tests are now expected to be completed until the beginning of May 2021, which will be followed by end-to-end procedural tests at a wider European level, together with all parties of the SDAC. The Member Tests with the participation of market participants is now envisaged to be carried out in the second half of May 2021.

In order to provide market participants with detailed information about the Member Tests, as well as about the expected changes in current processes, a joint webinar will be organized by the project on 21 April 2021. The joint SDAC communication note about the date of the webinar is attached to this press release.

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The DE-AT-PL-4M MC Project, also referred to as Interim Coupling aims to connect the borders of 4M MC with the Multi-Regional Coupling (MRC) by introducing Net Transmission Capacity based (NTC-based) implicit capacity allocation on six borders (PL-DE, PL-CZ, PL-SK, CZ-DE, CZ-AT, HU-AT). This will mark the start of the so called “enduring phase” of SDAC, during which there will be one European Single Day-Ahead Coupling only, where MRC and 4M MC are coupled.

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About OPCOM

OPCOM is the Romanian Electricity and Gas Market Operator. Since 2000, OPCOM has been committed to strengthen a market place where energy and environmental certificates are traded in conditions of transparency and integrity. Today, the trading portfolio offered by OPCOM ranges from electricity products to gas products, as well as green certificates. More than 900 companies are using the products available for trading on short-term electricity, gas and green certificates markets as well as on term markets for electricity, gas and green certificates bilateral contracts. In addition to this role, OPCOM is responsible for settlement of the transactions concluded on short-term energy markets, Balancing Market as well as the Imbalances of the Balancing Responsible Parties. OPCOM also manages the Green Certificates Register. Today, OPCOM is acting as Registered Reporting Mechanism under REMIT managing more than 480 reporting agreements on its electricity and gas markets. OPCOM was designated by the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority as Nominated Electricity Market Operator (NEMO) in accordance with the Regulation (EU) 2015/1222 for fulfilling tasks related to the coupling of the day-ahead and intraday markets.

OPCOM applies the Quality Management System complying with ISO 9001 - SR EN ISO 9001, respectively the Information Security Management System complying with ISO/IEC 27001 - SR EN ISO/IEC 27001, both systems being certified by Lloyd`s Register LRQA.

For more information about OPCOM, please visit us at www.opcom.ro.

PRESS RELEASE 18.03.2021