| News
As communicated on 3 September 2019, Swissgrid had to reduce export capacities to Germany (NTC) on the northern border of Switzerland during the summer months of 2019. Previously, a static NTC value of 4,000 MW had been agreed with neighbouring transmission system operators for export from Switzerland to Germany. Swissgrid is cooperating with the neighbouring transmission system operators to optimise cross-border capacities so as to provide market participants maximum capacities. In future, the previous static value will be replaced with seasonally adjusted, i.e., dynamic NTC values.
For the coming months, we expect higher export capacities on the northern border of Switzerland to Germany, since the number of relevant unavailable elements in the transmission grid is decreasing and – with the exception of the planned shutdown of the nuclear power plant Mühleberg – the nuclear power plants in Switzerland will once again be available.
Swissgrid prepares to optimise processes for determining the NTC value in export direction to Germany. Analogous to the import process destined to Switzerland, scenarios based on load flow will in future enable a more detailed evaluation of the respective present situation. As a result, according to the grid elements available, it will be possible to determine and grant the maximum NTC value for the period D-1 on a daily basis as well.
In the case of scenarios based on load flow, Swissgrid is already considering non-costly remedial actions in order to optimise the grid and the associated NTC values. Should additional costly measures be possible in the planning phase, Swissgrid will conduct an evaluation and invite the market parties in this regard as needed. These measures and the optimisation of processes for exports on the northern border of Switzerland will have to meet the criteria of a secure, effective and efficient grid and will be coordinated with the related requirements of the regulator ElCom.