The Verification Platform process replaces the previous reconciliation process to better meet the needs of a pan-European energy market. In addition to efficiency gains, this solution provides a transparent overview of planned energy exchanges for all continental European TSOs (ENTSO-E Regional Group Continental Europe, RG CE). This ensures a reliable data basis for network planning and calculations for the European transmission network. The Verification Platform thus makes an important contribution to system security, particularly in the event of congestion.

The reconciliation processes are similar to those used for schedule messages in electricity trading, where TSOs reconcile the schedule messages of their trading partners. With the Verification Platform, TSOs submit their planned energy exchanges to the platform, which acts as a central instance by reconciling the messages, comparing the values, and sending the corresponding messages back to the TSOs.

The previous process involved many parties with different roles, and planned energy exchanges were coordinated multiple times at various levels. The Verification Platform significantly simplifies this process, as each TSO now reports directly to the central instance. The platform processes the data and provides all TSOs with a consolidated and standardized data set. Special attention is given to the careful and accurate historization of data, ensuring that previously agreed statuses can be restored at any time in case of issues.

To ensure a smooth transition to the new processes and formats, integration tests are being conducted with all 30 participating TSOs. Productive operation is expected to start in October 2017.

Michael Schäfer, project manager of the Verification Platform at Amprion, explains the project’s context: “As a transmission system operator, we must reconcile various, sometimes conflicting objectives. On the one hand, we promote European integration and enable non-discriminatory and efficient cross-border electricity trading. On the other hand, security of supply in the European grid is and remains our primary objective. The Verification Platform is a big step forward for us on both counts.”