The CEOs of the system operators of the Baltic Sea countries met in Helsinki last week to discuss the energy crisis in Europe and the capacity of the system – above all in relation to the security of supply for the coming winter.
As stated in the press release, the system operators of the Baltic Sea countries are engaged in “close-knit cooperation” and exchange information about the condition of the security of supply of the region. If the system operators observe that the availability of electricity could be limited, cooperation will be undertaken with the objective of minimising any potential negative impacts for consumers. The joint expert group of the system operators is continuing to analyse the system capacity in order to identify any cross-border impacts.
According to the initial forecast for the coming winter published by the European Network of Transmission System Operators of Electricity (ENTSO-E), the risks have grown and the generally secured supplies are lower than in previous winters, especially in January and February. In the Baltic Sea region, Southern Sweden, Southern Norway and Eastern Germany are particularly exposed to disruptions in the security of the supply of electricity, in the event of a winter with little snowfall. In the case of low availability of nuclear power, the risks will significantly increase in Southern Sweden and in Finland, where consumption is partially covered by imports from other regions.
The system operators of the Baltic Sea countries evaluate their risks similarly and information and system services are mutually shared in order to alleviate the risks.
Regardless of the already decreased electricity consumption in the region, the system operators are calling for a continued decrease in the consumption of energy. In the opinion of the European Commission, the reduction of consumption is the best method for decreasing electricity prices and avoiding the controlled limitation of electricity consumption.
