2013-08-27
Litgrid Complies with the Requirements of EU Third Energy Package – the Company Has Been Granted a TSO Licence of Unlimited Duration
The procedure for the certification of Litgrid, Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator (TSO), was successfully completed today in accordance with the provisions of the European Union Third Energy Package that obliges the Member States to separate the electricity transmission operations from the power and gas generation and distribution.
Today the Lithuanian State Commission for Prices and Energy Control passed a resolution stating that separation of Litgrid‘s transmission operations from those of power generation and distribution companies under the Law on Electricity has been duly completed and that the company has been appointed the electricity transmission system operator. A TSO licence of unlimited duration was granted to Litgrid.
This resolution means that both the national regulator and the European Commission have officially recognised that the company fully complies with the requirements for the separation, transparency and independence laid down for electricity transmission system operators in the EU and Lithuanian legislation. The purpose of the EU Third Energy Package is to ensure the maximum efficiency of the energy market, compliance with the uniform European operating standards, and reliability of the electricity supply to the EU customers.
According to Virgilijus Poderys, CEO of Litgrid, “Implementation of the Third Energy Package will provide market players all over Europe with equal conditions and opportunities for competing in a free electricity market, gaining access to power infrastructure without restraint, and making efficient investment in electricity transmission networks. The fact that a long and important process of certification of the Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator has been completed shows that we meet the applied requirements and are recognised as a transparent, reliable and impartial participant in the European power system“.
It should be noted that Lithuania has chosen the most strict model of unbundling. Currently 19 out of 41 European TSOs are now certified, Lithuania included.
The resolution of Litgrid‘s appointment as electricity transmission system operator will be submitted to the European Commission and the relevant information will be published in www.regula.lt and the Official Journal of the European Union.