BALANCING GROUPS AND BALANCING GROUP CONTRACT

New Standard Balancing Group Contract

The new Standard Balancing Group Contract (Electricity) was approved by Resolution BK6-18-061 of the German Federal Network Agency dated 12 April 2019. It was originally intended to take effect on 1 May 2020 and be applied from that date.

• BK6-18-061 - Genehmigung der Modalitäten für Bilanzkreisverantwortliche (Standardbilanzkreisvertrag Strom) (available only in German)

In its publication dated 31 March 2020, however, the Federal Network Agency postponed the date of introduction to 1 August 2020.

• BK6-18-061 - Genehmigung der Modalitäten für Bilanzkreisverantwortliche (Standardbilanzkreisvertrag Strom) Mitteilung Nr. 1: Verschiebung der Einführung des neuen Bilanzkreisvertrages Strom auf den 01.08.2020

Concluding a Balancing Group Contract

Two copies of the completed and signed Balancing Group Contract should be sent by post to the Balancing Group Management team at the following address:

TransnetBW GmbH
Bilanzkreismanagement [Balancing Group Management]
Osloer Strasse 15-17
70173 Stuttgart
Germany

In addition to the completed and signed contract, the following documents are required to conclude a Standard Balancing Group Contract in the control area of TransnetBW:

• Current extract from the Register of Companies
• Copy of electricity tax permit, if the company engages in end-customer or self-supply
• Proof of identity of the authorised signatory
• As appropriate, a statement on the stock exchange provisions in the Balancing Group Contract
• Powers of attorney, if a service firm is tasked with concluding the Balancing Group Contract and/or managing the balancing group in accordance with a schedule
• Current annual accounts and, as appropriate, other documents as required by TransnetBW
• Current certificate (with file extension .cer) for the 1:1-EDIFACT address shown in Annex 2 to the Balancing Group Contract
• Current certificate (with file extension .cer) for the scheduling address shown in Annex 2 to the Balancing Group Contract

An overview of currently valid balancing groups in the control area of TransnetBW is available in the document “Balancing group overview” in the download area.

You will also find the FAQ for the new balancing group contract and the implementation guide for the Urgent Call under Downloads.

Balancing groups

Balancing groups are virtual energy accounts that allow market players to balance all actual feed-ins and withdrawals allocated to them and keep them aligned by means of schedules. The Balancing Group Manager (BKV) in each case is responsible for the balanced quarter-hourly current account of his or her balancing group.

Balancing groups receive a unique Energy Identification Code (EIC). The EIC for (sub-) balancing groups is assigned by the BDEW (German Association of Energy and Water Industries) or at the responsible LIO (Local Issuing Office) of the ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity).

Existing balancing accounts in the TransnetBW control area

Existing balancing accounts (11YW1, etc.) in the control area of TransnetBW must be managed like sub-balancing groups, except for participation in schedule management. Each BKV is responsible for the precise allocation of his or her balancing accounts. The remaining provisions of the Standard Balancing Group Contract apply equally to balancing accounts. No new balancing accounts will be allocated.