The fact that large business customers may have to wait for full access to electricity could have serious consequences.
Such is the message from Green Power Denmark, following TSO Energinet’s announcement on its website on Wednesday that there will be limited spare capacity on the transmission grid for up to ten years.
“We are in an extremely critical societal situation, which means that some of the very large business customers must prepare for the possibility that it could take between 5 and 10 years before they can be offered full access to the transmission grid. In some parts of the country, this could mean, for example, that our industry will be forced to rely on gas longer than expected,” Jørgen S. Christensen, Chief Technology Officer at Green Power Denmark, comments in a press release from the industry association.
In response to the capacity challenges, Energinet is introducing a new model for large connections that will also have implications for connections to local power grids. Going forward, requests from large commercial customers will be processed in batches with longer processing times.
“We are, of course, very disappointed that we have ended up here, but it is good that we now have an overall data foundation that gives us a better opportunity to act. It is our shared ambition that as many people as possible should be able to connect to the power grid,” Christensen states.
Green Power Denmark would have preferred to do without the new model, but the industry association acknowledges that some form of transitional arrangement is necessary in the current situation.
“Once there is sufficient capacity in the transmission grid, the connection process must return to normal as soon as possible. In the interim, it is crucial for the grid companies that consumers feel as secure as possible and receive answers as quickly as possible. The grid companies will intensify their dialogue with Energinet regarding this,” the statement reads.
Can’t sell a product that isn’t in stock
Since the general increase in electricity consumption among small customers is factored into Energinet’s analysis, the local grid companies that are members of Green Power Denmark will continue to be able to connect households as well as small and medium-sized businesses to the distribution grid.
For new, large electricity consumers who wish to be connected to the local distribution grids, Energinet will need to clarify on a case-by-case basis whether the necessary capacity can be drawn from the transmission grid in the relevant area.
“It’s just like with anything else: Grid companies can’t sell a product without knowing it is in stock. In this case, the product is guaranteed access to power at the outlet. Grid companies have a major responsibility toward society and consumers. If we did this, it would be downright irresponsible, as we must neither jeopardize security of supply nor promise customers access to an electricity grid that isn’t there,” says Christensen.
It is expected that Energinet will process the first batch under the new practice this fall.
The limited remaining capacity in the transmission grid calls for urgent political action, according to Green Power Denmark, which is therefore urging that the expansion of the transmission grid be given high priority in a future government platform.
“We’ve been saying this for a long time, but the gravity of the situation can no longer be ignored: We need to put all viable solutions into play right now, and therefore the incoming government must, as its first act, pass an emergency law that prioritizes among large consumers from a societal perspective. It is our task to make room for as many as possible on the power grid, but the limited capacity must benefit Danish society as much as possible,” Jørgen S. Christensen concludes.
This article was provided by our sister media in Denmark, EnergiWatch.
English edit by Christian Radich Hoffman.