New go-live date for Nordic mFRR EAM in October / mid-November 2023

As earlier communicated, the go-live of the automated Nordic mFRR EAM is delayed. The new go-live date is in October/mid-November 2023, and further analyses will be done to set the remaining milestones in the NBM roadmap.

Nordic mFRR EAM is a prerequisite for realizing the new Nordic balancing model. mFRR EAM will ensure that we are compliant with and ready for European platforms without threatening the secure operation of the Nordic power system. A successful go-live is crucial to in a controlled manner  move towards MARI and PICASSO. 

Automating the balancing energy market is a highly complex project involving advanced IT development and large-scale business transformation. Going from conceptual designs to actual solutions has proved to take longer than previously estimated. Moving forward, the content as well as the extent of the need for additional supportive IT tools and processes for managing crucial and challenging operational scenarios, have become much clearer. In turn, this defines the amount of training and other needs to fulfil to ensure that the Nordic TSOs are prepared to handle the new way of balancing the system.

Since early 2022, analysis work has been done to estimate how long the remaining development for Nordic mFRR EAM will take and to evaluate different alternatives for the way forward. The current roadmap is built on a stepwise approach where go-lives are separated by stabilization periods before the next milestone. During the current assessment, this strategy was challenged, but it was determined that a stepwise implementation is still the best way to move forward. 

Further analyses are required to set a final date and to assess how remaining milestones will be affected, including implementing 15-minute ISP in the markets. As previously announced, the TSOs have decided to proceed with the 15-minute resolution in eSett’s imbalance settlement system in line with the original go-live date of 15-minute ISP, i.e. 22 May 2023.The imbalance price will be the same in all countries in all four quarters of an hour until actual 15-minute prices are available.

Next step:
The NBM roadmap will be updated as a result of the new go-live date of Nordic mFRR EAM, including the Nordic TSOs’ connection to MARI and PICASSO. 15-minute MTU in intraday and day ahead is also part of this reassessment. NEMOs and market participants will be involved in the work which is planned for April – May 2022.