European Transmission System Operators advance towards the Integrated Electricity Market (IEM)

In line with the timeline set by the Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1719 establishing a guideline on forward capacity allocation 28 Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from 22 European countries established the Single Allocation Platform (SAP) as of 1st October 2018. 

Establishment of the Single Allocation Platform is an important step towards the Integrated Electricity Market. It shall promote the development of liquid and competitive forward markets in a coordinated way across Europe and shall provide market participants with the possibility to hedge their risks associated with cross-border electricity trading. Through the SAP, TSOs ensure for all market participants the provision of non-discriminatory access to long-term cross-zonal capacity at all relevant European borders, at a single place and under Harmonized Allocation Rules. 

To perform the role of the SAP Operator, the TSOs appointed the Joint Allocation Office (JAO, S.A.), a TSOs-owned company that is providing capacity allocation at more than 69 bidding zone directional borders and conducting more than 1,000 auctions in 2019 for 289 registered market participants.