Voluntary load reduction

Data reporting process for targeted load reduction measures for large industrial consumers in accordance with Section 13 (2) of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) or the Energy Security Act (EnSiG) in emergency situations with voluntary participation

To strengthen the resilience of the power supply, the transmission system operators (TSOs) responsible for control areas, together with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and in checking with the distribution system operators, are establishing targeted electricity consumption reduction for individual large industrial consumers as a preliminary stage to short-term load reduction measures such as the application of the shutdown cascade in accordance with VDE-AR-N 4140. This additional security measure further reduces the probability of this shutdown cascade being applied. The main difference between this preliminary stage and short-term load reduction measures such as the shutdown cascade is the longer lead time of up to 72 hours. Necessary load reduction measures in accordance with VDE-AR-N 4140, on the other hand, are usually ordered at very short notice and with a lead time of at least 12 minutes. In this process, large industrial consumers would therefore have very little reaction time, and industrial companies might no longer be able to adjust their production as planned. The longer lead time provided for in the preliminary stage for prepared, targeted load reduction, on the other hand, minimizes both technical and financial risks and enables better planning for large industrial consumers. The aim is to achieve the most efficient and damage-limiting approach possible, which can be realized in particular through early checking by all parties involved. The preliminary stage instruction is issued in accordance with Section 13 (2) EnWG or EnSiG without a contract and without remuneration.

This approach to introducing a preliminary stage for load reduction among large industrial consumers with voluntary participation has been checked between the TSOs, the BMWK, and the BNetzA.

In dialogue with large industrial consumers, the TSOs have already exchanged essential basic data for the implementation of the preliminary stage and indicated load reduction potentials in some cases.

The lead time of up to 72 hours for the binding instruction of the respective load reduction potential to participating industrial companies in the form of transaction data would safeguard, in the event of application, that implementation on the consumer side can take place in a way that minimizes damage (targeted rescheduling of production, orderly load reduction taking into account the assets and processes). The instruction by the TSO would be issued at least with the lead time specified in the data transmission and the bindingly reported load reduction potential and would be implemented independently by the large industrial consumers.

The transaction data is required in the form of time series with quarter-hourly values for an identified emergency time window in the future in order to obtain binding load reduction potentials for an instruction. Therefore, a report is required for each calendar day of the emergency time window for the entire calendar day, specifically the load reduction potential with lead time for the instruction and the planned load absorption. Large industrial consumers are requested to use only the enclosed form to report the planned load absorption and load reduction potential. Data reporting is not requested on an ongoing basis, but only for pre-identified emergency time windows in a hazardous situation. Once the request for data reporting has been issued, the completed report must be submitted to the responsible TSO within a maximum of six hours. Based on this transaction data, the TSOs can identify specific load reductions during the emergency time window and request load reduction. Further information and contact details for data transmission can be found in the data reporting template.

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