In application of the European electricity balancing regulation, European transmission system operators have started work on the PICASSO platform for exchanging automatic frequency restoration reserves.

The purpose of this platform is to effectively share automatic frequency restoration reserves at European level. This will optimise both the economic efficiency and the security of electricity exchanges.

As a founder member of this project, RTE has scheduled two steps prior to connecting to the platform. This is so as to integrate the changes brought about by this project into the procedures used to balance the French power system.

Initially, instead of sending one single signal to all reserve providing groups every 5 seconds, an individual signal will be sent every 4 seconds to each reserve providing group. This will involve implementing a new industrial supervision system.

Then, instead of activation on a pro rata basis, reserve providing groups will be activated nationally based on a merit order mode.

Once these steps have been completed, RTE will be able to connect to the European PICASSO platform and submit bids from French automatic frequency restoration reserve market participants.

Automatic frequency restoration reserve will then be activated on the basis of a merit order mode, involving a competitive bidding procedure for the reserve proving groups at European level.

Here is a video of the changes brought about by the PICASSO project.

You will also find more details of the PICASSO project and the resulting changes on the PICASSO page.

April 19, 2023