European TSOs concerned about system adequacy for this winter
Based on preliminary results and analyses for ENTSO-E’s forthcoming Winter Outlook Report, TSOs are concerned about adequacy margins for the coming winter, and continue very close cooperation for coordinated measures to maintain security of electricity supply.
Thanks to a mild summer across most of Europe, transmission system operators (TSO) saw a tense but manageable security of supply situation in the past summer. However, TSOs remain concerned about reduced generation margins resulting, among others, from the shutdown of eight German nuclear power plants. Whereas TSOs presently expect that generation adequacy is maintained in Europe in case of average weather conditions, the security of supply of key areas in Europe cannot be ensured under extreme conditions. Extended cold spells and lower-than-average temperatures could require significant countermeasures.
Therefore, European TSOs intensify very close cooperation for coordinated preventive and curative measures such as redispatching of power plants, control of renewable generation whenever possible and regional load shedding.
ENTSO-E’s forthcoming Winter Outlook Report will give particular consideration to this situation and provide a detailed forecast analysis for the winter period across Europe. It will be released on 1 December 2011 and announced on ENTSO-E’s website.