To allow operational coordination and to ensure security of supply on a European level, TSOs share information with RCCs. Each TSO publishes its Individual Grid Model (IGM) which represents the best detailed forecast of its electricity grid. Afterwards, RCCs merge about 40 TSO IGMs to create a pan-European Common Grid Model (CGM) representing the European electricity network.

The CGM service consists in different tasks performed by RCCs:

  • Checking quality and plausibility of IGMs provided by TSOs and facilitating their improvement to meet the criteria of quality and plausibility;
  • Merging of IGMs into CGM;
  • Improving the CGM model.

The CGM service also includes the use of a harmonised data format (CGMES) allowing precise description of the network. The exchange of files is supported by the Operational Planning Data Environment (OPDE) which is a platform to exchange data and which contains central business applications to support RCC services.

Thanks to this process, all European TSOs and RCCs benefit from the same overview on the pan-European electricity network and the same accurate view on the flows of high-voltage lines.

Besides, the CGM is used as a basis allowing TSOs and RCCs to run most of their services derived from network codes such as Coordinated Capacity Calculation, Coordinated Security Analysis, Outage Planning Coordination and Short-Term Adequacy.

TSOs provide IGM on OPDE. RCCs can retrieve these IGMs from OPDE in order to create a CGM and provide this CGM back on OPDE.

The participation to the CGM creation process by the RCCs shall be based on a rotational principle on an agreed calendar date, with provision of a CGM by one main RCC and one backup RCC at all times.

The CGM service is being provided in different timeframes. While some of these timeframes are made mandatory by the network codes, others can be defined at a regional level. The supported timeframes are:

  • Year-ahead;
  • Month-ahead;
  • Week-ahead;
  • Two-days-ahead;
  • Day-ahead;
  • Intraday.

Read more information about this CGM service in our annual report or consult the CACM, SOGL and FCA regulations.

This service is still under development. Therefore, the above explanations may be amended after the full development of this service takes place.