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  3. Transmission System Operators (TSOs) for electricity have
    founded a new association to strengthen their co-operation
    in the European electricity market.

Transmission System Operators (TSOs) for electricity have
founded a new association to strengthen their co-operation
in the European electricity market.

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Brussels, 19th December, 2008 –The Chief Executive Officers of 42 European TSO companies from 34 countries, met today in Brussels to create a new association, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). This action is a proactive step of the TSO community to contribute to reliable and efficient pan-European and regional markets, ahead of the European Union Third Legislative Package of the Internal Electricity Market.

The establishment of ENTSO-E will further strengthen TSO cooperation in a number of key areas, such as the development of technical and market-related network codes, and the coordination of system operation and grid development, with the aim of enhancing the integration of the European electricity market, contributing to a sustainable energy environment and ensuring secure and reliable operation of the European power transmission system.

ENTSO-E will work with a clear mandate based on full consultation with European Commission, Regulators and stakeholders. This new environment will enable TSOs to focus on transparent objectives and to speak with “one voice” on the issues concerning the Internal Electricity Market.

The ENTSO-E structure includes three committees for pan-European activities on System Development, System Operation and Market Frameworks, incorporating regional groups under each committee. ENTSO-E will be supported by a Secretariat with permanent staff, based in Brussels.

ENTSO-E governance will be by a General Assembly of all members which will meet several times a year and in between these meetings an ENTSO-E Board will coordinate the organisation’s work.

Following today’s signing of Articles of Association, during the first General Assembly of ENTSO-E, Mr Daniel Dobbeni, CEO of Elia, TSO in Belgium was elected ENTSO-E President with a 2-year mandate. Mr Jukka Ruusunen from Fingrid, was elected Vice President, Mr Graeme Steele from National Grid, Chairman of the Board and Mrs Malgorzata Klawe from PSE-Operator, Vice-Chair, all of them with a 2-year mandate. The Secretary General of ENTSO-E will be appointed in February 2009.

Mr Dobbeni expressed confidence that this team will “ensure that ENTSO-E is operational by April 2009 in order to tackle the challenges ahead in cooperation with European Commission, Regulators and all concerned stakeholders”.

The CEOs of the TSO companies proposed to Presidents of current TSO associations, i.e. European Transmission System Operators (ETSO), Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE), Nordel, UKTSOA (UK), BALTSO (Baltics) and ATSOI (Ireland and Northern Ireland), the transfer of their activities to ENTSO-E and the wind-up their respective associations within six months.

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