The influence of European regulation on the gas market shown on the example of the German Balancing System

The implementation of the second stage of the third energy package will bring the influence of the European energy regulation to a new level. For the gas sector, the European Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG) have been working out comprehensive Network Codes for main business fields of the companies in accordance with the requirements of the European Regulatory Authority (ACER) and the European Commission. The aim is to create a European Gas Market Model with liquid trading hubs and uniform market rules. The impact thereof on the national gas grid access systems is notable. However, the sector does not sufficiently notice this development. This article presents the content and decision-making processes of the European Gas Grid Code and goes into detail on its effects on gas balancing based on the example of Germany with the Federal Network Agency’s (BNetzA) “Basic Model of Balancing Services and Balancing Rules in the German Gas Sector” (GABi Gas).