Energy transmission operators from Romania, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria have set up CC SEleNe in Thessaloniki

By Emea Riga
Transmission and System Operators from Greece (IPTO), Italy (TERNA SpA), Romania (Transelectrica) and Bulgaria (ESO-EAD) have set up the South East Europe Electricity Coordination Center (CC SEleNe) in Thessaloniki, Greece, as a key step towards closer and more efficient cooperation of TSOs in EU Member States in South-Eastern Europe on security of supply and security of electricity networks.
”Transmission System Operators from Greece (IPTO), Italy (TERNA SpA), Romania (Transelectrica) and Bulgaria (ESO-EAD) announce the establishment of the South East Europe Electricity Network Coordination Center (CC SEleNe) in Thessaloniki , Greece. The four TSOs participate equally in the share capital of the new company “, informed Transelectrica.
The Steering Committee of CC SEleNe was composed of a body with the following structure: Ioannis Kampouris (IPTO), President and Executive Director, Angelin Tsachev (ESO-EAD), BoD member, Enrico Maria Carlini (Terna SpA), BoD member and Adrian Şuţă (Transelectrica), BoD member.
“The establishment of CC SEleNe is an essential step towards closer and more efficient cooperation of TSOs in EU Member States in South East Europe in terms of security of supply and security of electricity networks. The estimated coupling of those markets will be the next step in harmonizing and integrating the region into the European single electricity market with significant benefits for consumers. This development is the result of a collective effort and has been possible thanks to the coordinated actions of all TSOs. I am convinced that CC SEleNe will fulfill its key role efficiently and transparently for the benefit of all participants, continuing and expanding the tradition of good and efficient cooperation between TSOs in our area “, says Ioannis Kampouris, President and CEO of CC SEleNe.
Within the European regulatory framework, the main responsibilities regarding the regional safety of the CC SEleNe network are: the analysis of operational safety planning (also known as the coordinated safety analysis); coordination of disconnection planning; coordinated capacity calculation; short and very short term adequacy forecasts; individual and joint network modeling and data set delivery.
“Improving energy security and cooperation at both the organizational and technical levels brings us closer to an energy-integrated Europe. This stage is part of a normal and necessary evolution of the safety in operation of the region in light of the implementation of the new common model of the electricity market “, says Cătălin Niţu, CEO of Transelectrica SA (Romania).
For his part, Manos Manousakis, President & CEO of IPTO (Greece), welcomes the establishment of the Southeast European Electricity Grid Coordination Center in Thessaloniki, as a culmination of recent months of debate between neighboring operators.
“We are convinced that CC SEleNe will increase the efficiency of the operation of the electricity market in the region and will contribute to its faster and more efficient consolidation at European and regional level. However, our ambition for CC SEleNe does not stop here. Our goal is to attract more transmission and system operators to the new company to expand and strengthen its goal for the benefit of competition and the free market in the electricity sector, he says.
This initiative, which is part of the coordination projects of transmission system operators for the safe management of the European electricity system, strengthens Terna’s strategic role in Europe and the Mediterranean, says Stefano Donnaruma, CEO of TERNA SpA (Italy).
“Currently, we have 26 interconnections with neighboring countries, which contributes to the integration of the Italian electricity system into the European system in a safer, more efficient and sustainable way. This new project strengthens cooperation between operators and promotes the energy transition taking place in Italy and Europe. Terna is already concerned about this: the new 2020 Development Plan envisages investments of over 14 billion euros in the national electricity network to further connect Italy with other countries according to the decarbonisation goals of the new guidelines of the EU Green Pact ” , he says.
The Regional Security Coordinator (CSR) aims to strengthen regional cooperation on the coordinated operation of power systems.