Public consultation on Elia’s proposal of guidelines for defining and implementing a substantial modernisation

Context

In accordance with article 162 §2 of the Federal Grid Code (FGC) of 22 April 2019, Elia has the legal obligation to draw up guidelines for the definition and application of a substantial modernisation and to submit them to the regulator for advice.

This obligation is imposed on Elia for the application of article 4.1 of the ‘European Network Code on requirements for grid connection of generators (RfG)’ and of the ‘European Network Code on Demand Connection (DCC)’ of 17 August 2016, as well as the application of article 161, §2 of the abovementioned FGC.

Article 4 of the European Network Codes RfG and DCC defines the applicability of these codes to the production units or demand facilities considered as existing. In addition, article 161 of the FGC defines as ‘substantial modernisation’ of an existing installation as the intended modifications to that installation which, based on the TSO’s assessment criteria, are considered sufficiently far-reaching to require full or partial compliance with this new FGC of 22 April 2019.  Further, article 162 FGC already provides thee criteria for Elia to assess the nature of substantial modernisation. 

Period

Elia invites all stakeholders to submit their comments and suggestions on the consultation document during the consultation period from 13 May to 15 June 2020.

After the consultation period, Elia collects all comments and feedback from the market parties. Elia will analyse these comments and integrate them into a consultation report together with Elia’s responses. In addition to the consultation report, Elia will publish the reactions of the market parties (including names) on the website, unless it is explicitly stated that the contribution is to be considered confidential.