Alignment of aFRR and mFRR prequalification process in Croatia with the target market design

Abstract

Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1485 of 2 August 2017 establishing a guideline on electricity transmission system operation defines a prequalification process as a process to verify the compliance of a reserve providing unit or a reserve providing group with the requirements set by the transmission system operator. Croatian Transmission System Operator Plc. (HOPS) carries out a prequalification process in order for (potential) ancillary service providers to prove their capability of providing ancillary services, which means that the prequalification process is a prerequisite for the provision of ancillary services. As part of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, HOPS participates in the European implementation projects PICASSO and MARI, which aim is to establish a single European platform for aFRR and mFRR balancing services. Within the PICASSO and MARI projects, the technical characteristics of the products traded on unique European platforms were defined. This paper analyzes the difference between the requirements from the existing prequalification process rules and the technical requirements for products within the PICASSO and MARI projects, explores practice in Slovenia and Germany and suggests the required adoptions of aFRR and mFRR prequalification processes in Croatia.