Capacity calculation

To facilitate the commercial exchange of electricity across borders, the available capacities are calculated in a coordinated way.

Coordinated capacity calculation means that the interdependence between “coordinated” borders is taken into account when calculating the cross-border capacities. This ensures that the capacity calculation is reliable and that capacity is made available to the market in an optimal manner.

Today, the capacity calculation for the BE-NL and BE-FR bidding zone borders is performed within a context of wider coordination within the CWE region.


 The yearly and monthly capacities are depicted using NTC calculations. For further information about these methodologies see Yearly and Monthly capacity calculation methodology (in French).

For the day-ahead capacity calculation, the Central Western Europe region (CWE) is a frontrunner: in 2015, CWE was the first region to implement a flow-based methodology, which is the target methodology of the CACM regulation.

Further information (including the latest approval packages) is available on the JAO website.


The intraday capacity calculation makes it possible to release coordinated additional capacity to the market players on a daily basis, using the flow-based day-ahead market coupling outcome as a starting point.

Further information is available in the context paper and the approval package of the intraday capacity calculation methodology. 


In the future, the capacities on all bidding zone borders will be calculated in a coordinated way at the geographical level of the Capacity Calculation Regions (CCR). Elia is a member of two CCRs, namely Core and Channel, as defined by the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulatory Authorities (ACER) in 2016.

The capacity calculation for the BE-GB bidding zone border is part of the Channel region.

  • Until the Long Term Capacity Calculation Methodology (LTCCM) of the Channel region is implemented, Elia will apply an interim methodology
  • For the Day-Ahead capacity calculation, Elia has developed an interim solution as part of the gradual implementation of the Channel CCM (viz. Art. 27(5)). The interim solution is largely, and whenever possible, aligned with the Channel Capacity Calculation Methodology (CCM).

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