Scheduling FAQ

Details
Published on Tuesday, 15 June 2010 14:12
Q: When will we receive the CAI for the Y 2010 auctions?

A: By August 15, all local AOs shall assign CAIs to capacities allocated in Y and M auctions, if not already assigned. If the capacity shall not be traded on secondary basis, the same CAI appears once again in the LT CRD generated in D-2 12:00.

CAIs from individual local AOs shall/were distributed in the following way:

  • Etrace: generated backwardly for all past auctions, available for downloading after August 15 and distributed in D-2 at 12:00. This document explains how the CAIs for already allocated capacities will be generated and how the CAIs will be made available for traders. This document was published two days ago on CAO website.
  • Austria AO: already distributed within the results of Y and M auctions
  • Mavir: CAIs for Y and M auctions were already assigned. Data are available in the KAPAR system
  • ELES: all LT CAIs are visible in ELES scheduling system, including results of the secondary market.
  • HU/AT border: with start of new scheduling only one CAI for nomination on this border will be required.

No changes are planned for the Allocation Results Documents, which means these documents will remain unchanged.

Q: When will we receive static CAIs for those borders not having congestion management procedures in place?

A: DE/AT border: No static CAI’s will be assigned for this border. The nomination must be done with Bussines Type A06.

CZ/SK border: two options are possible, one without static CAI, second with it. The final decision will be published on SEPS website till 5.8.

Q: In which file (format, when, ..) we will receive the CAIs from 01.09.2010 especially with respect to the daily auction as many companies use automatic upload and do not want to put daily the CAis manually into their trading and scheduling systems ?

A: After new scheduling is introduced each local auction office shall issue CAIs within the Capacity Rights Document (CRD). Long Term CRDs shall be distributed to trading companies after closure of the secondary market. This document includes CAIs for capacities allocated in Y and M auctions as well as all changes that were subject to the trade on secondary market. Daily CAIs shall be distributed within short-term CRD. The formats of ST CRDs are published on CAO website; however the only difference with LT CRD is the Capacity Contract Type (CCT) parameter which is A01 for capacities allocated in daily auction. It needs to be pointed out that ST and LT CRDs are different documents and ST document does not include LT capacity rights.

No changes are planned for the Allocation Results Documents, which means these documents will remain unchanged.

Q: In MAVIR system it seems that "InArea" and "OutArea" is swapped.

A: That is correct. Unfortunately this issue has not been solved due to the background problem with the connected processes. MAVIR is currently working to solve this issue as soon as possible.

Q: Does CAO or TSOs intend to prepare the tool for traders for generation of XMLs?

A: No, it is up to the traders how the preparation of their xml’s is solved.

Q: Sample files (CRD, ACK, CNF, ANO, and sample nomination files) were published on the CAO webpage after 10th May for some TSOs. However, it was expected files to be available for each TSO. No files were published for APG, PSEO and TPS, while the files published by 50 Hertz Transmission and ELES do not follow ESS V3.3, but ESS V2.3. EFET member companies are concerned that there may be other mistakes in the files and we urge all CEE TSOs to publish the correct and valid files as soon as possible.

A1: Template files for all physical borders were published, with exception of PSEO which has a different system for nomination. 50HzT and TPS are using same system; hence there is no need of having both templates published. Anyway, immediately after also separate sample files for 50HzT were published. Traders were later on able to test with all of the 7 TSOs.

A2: However PSEO published the Announcement for Traders - Information on changes of specification of EDI standards (WIRE Standards) resulting from the implementation of the new cross border scheduling principles followed by draft version of new EDI standards (WIRE 11.0) where all necessary information including document samples can be found. Tests will be possible after approval of new EDI standards (WIRE 11.0).
Polish Grid Code is due to the legislative issues published only in Polish language. Involved TSOs and especially PSEO are aware of the problem for foreign traders. Official translation of the document(s) will not be available in other language, but for helping market participants act on Polish border PSEO will assess the possibility to provide the market with UNOFFICIAL English version.

A3: The User’s Guide to scheduling in CEE and other information on CAO’s web page, clearly states that both standards can be used, dependently on the local market rules. Therefore it is up to TSO and the local market rules which standard will use. Since the standard of ESS is dependent on local market rules in case of Germany, switching from ESS V2.3. to ESS V3.3.would have impact on ALL German TSOs. The new synchronized scheduling will begin with different standards of ESS due to this reason.

Q: The files published on the CAO website serve as examples of the formats that will be used when the new scheduling system is introduced in September. Since the nominations are supposed to receive considerable input from the CAO auctions, which will not have been introduced yet, we would like to know if there will be any differences in the files required by the TSOs in this interim period. For instance, is the CAI going to be provided in the same way and format?

A1: The TSOs have coordinated their IT’s document input and output due to the synchronize scheduling. Since the scheduling will start independently to coordinated auction in CAO, the local auction offices will still be in charge of auctions (until CAO start with auctions). Understanding the problem of changing IT’s setting and new functionalities and the fact that CAO is planning to start two months later local auction offices will adopt their system to CAO’s output. Meaning you will get same capacity right files from local auction office (with the start of new scheduling) than later from CAO. There will be no changes later when CAO will take over the auction with the CRD files. The structure and the content stay the same.

A2: However CAI serving as an identification element, while it’s content is not relevant will differ from auction office to auction office and later CAO. According to ESS standard CAIs are up to the Auction Office how to define the string of max. 35 characters. Each auction office has different definition of CAI content, hence imposing there same rule according to CAO is not possible.

A3: Following elements of Capacity Right Documents will change when CAO will take over the coordinated auctions (after the interim period). These identifications are unique strings of characters, which each auction office have its own. For the automatic process on side of Market Participants we do not see any specific problem.

  • TimeSeriesIdentification
  • ContractIdentification (CAI)
  • DocumentIdentification
Q: The nomenclature of the file names varies among the different TSOs and in most cases does not follow the ESS standard, which is: YYYYMMDD_TPS____.

A: This naming convention is not the ESS standard. Naming convention is not relevant for the automatic process, since systems check the contents, not the file name. However TSOs agree harmonized naming convention might be useful in case of manual operation, therefore TSOs already agreed that harmonized naming convention should be used (however it cannot be a must) in the future but not before the start of new scheduling.

Q: We would need a description of the matching and correction cycle. This description should include:
Q1: The procedure for nominations at the Polish borders (for example, market participants have to send their cross-border nominations to all other CEE TSOs by 13:30 when the Polish border is affected).

A1: GCT for ALL borders to PSEO are 13:30. The matching procedure starts at 13:30 with the same harmonized matching rules. GCT is followed by three 15. minute correction cycles, which means the cut of time (COT) is set at 14:15. After COT the schedules on all directions with PSEO become firm and cannot be changed later on.

Q2: The rules which will apply if schedules do not match even after the correction cycle gate closure (which nominations are going to be accepted – source or sink, or are all nominations going to be rejected).

A2: In case of mismatch the values are modified to the lower of both values . If there are no more mismatches and a right is still exceeded the relevant nominations are curtailed pro rata. Value with decimals is modified to the next lower integer value.

Q3: The means through which each TSO will contact the balance responsible party, if schedules do not match (electronic message, phone call, etc.).

A3: The BRP (ITR) gets an ANO-report from the TSO which has received the nomination. The ANO-report is the result of the first fulfilled matching cycle after 13.30 in case of PSEO border and 14:30 for other borders. Afterwards BRP (ITR) has the possibility to send a new, corrected nomination in a higher version containing the corrected schedules from the ANO-report by cut off time at 14:15 in case of PSEO borders and 15:30 for other borders. All other (confirmed) schedules have to be submitted unchanged based on CNF report. Already confirmed timeseries cannot be changed.

For all other exceptional cases the TSOs scheduling staff will be available to traders as till now. This means they are free to call them via phone or contact by email. The contact data of scheduling experts/helpdesk stays the same as until now.

Q: With respect to MAVIR, the following questions could not be answered by the contact published on the CAO webpage:
Q1: What will happen with nominations concerning the borders not included in the CEE region (Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Ukraine)? Will MAVIR keep the ESS V1.1 standard for those borders? This would mean that in the future we would have to send two types of files to MAVIR: one for the AT and SK borders (ESS V3.3) and another one for the non-CEE borders (the old format). Will the gate closure for non-CEE borders be shifted to 14:30, or will it stay the same?

A1: MAVIR will introduce the ESS V3.3 standard for all borders till 1.9.2010. The consortioum of CEE TSO are synchronizing the borders of CEE region. Harmonisation “outside” borders is also dependant on non-CEE TSO. Hence the gate closure times for the non-CEE borders (Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Ukraine) with Mavir will be the same as the currently used according to the Annex 2 of the Code of Commerce.

Q2: Today MAVIR deviates from the European standard when it comes to the IN and OUT party: the buyer needs to be declared as the OUT party and the seller as the IN party. So far, we have not received a conclusive answer whether this principle will be preserved. The market would prefer harmonisation with the European standard.

A2: This is something that stayed in the system from the past. MAVIR is doing everything to change this, but the processes in the background are connected to another important process control systems and therefore it took more time for change. In the local specification, published by Mavir in November it was clearly stated that Mavir will adopt the same meaning of IN and OUT as it is adopted in all other countries. However, Mavir recently realized their IT was not properly modified, therefore Mavir is deploying all available resources to solve this mistake. According to Mavir explanation the problem will be solved till 2nd quarter of 2011. CAO and consortium are aware of this problem. The info was also putted on the web page as soon as the testing started.

Q3: In the MAVIR sample file published on the CAO website a “MeteringPointIdentification” is included as one of the fields. This component is not part of the other ECAN samples, although it was indicated that all the nominations for the CAO areas would follow a standard format.

A3: MAVIR realized the problem during the second week of test phase and initiated to solve the problem. The files will be adapted to harmonized standards and agreements between CEE TSOs. And will not differ from documents of other TSOs. Mavir updated the sample files, without MeteringPointIdentification.

Q: Some of EFET member companies have complained that they have limited development resources to devote to these changes. Therefore, it will not be possible for them to adapt their systems by September. They would like to know more about the other possibilities, besides e-mailing/uploading the new ECAN nomination files, for nominating. This request would refer, in particular, to ELES and MAVIR. If other TSOs offer alternatives, they should also be communicated:
Q1: MAVIR currently provides a template which can be used to create xml. Nominations can also be entered directly on the NIP platform. Will these options remain in the future?

A1: Yes, it will remain and the new template is ready. It is under testing in MAVIR side. When confirmedMAVIR will give it to the trader.

Q2: ELES has an online platform where nominations can be entered. Will this platform be available in the future?

A2: In addition to new opportunities for nominations via email, ELES can retain the option with online platform if this is requested by traders. Since this was requested by traders ELES will keep this platform.

Q: It was mention by Market Participants that for ReasonCode A01 code, reason text is missing in ACK of some TSOs.

A: Since the ReasonCode A01 is a code when everything is OK, some of the TSOs did not implement reason text. Until now this issue was not addresses to those TSOs. TSOs, where ReasonText, for A01, is missing will asses when it can be implemented. Since for this case this is not critical, it is not postponing the start of scheduling. If there is, for any other ReasonCode, missing ReasonText we kindly ask Market participant to inform TSOs. To see whether the IT system has a malfunction or not. Anyhow, during our test we did not come across such situation.

Q: Market participants expressed the wish to incorporate the DTD reference into the files. By those companies (TSO&CAO). It is not a prerequisite for start of scheduling.

A: TSOs and CAO will have to discuss internally with their IT department whether and when this is possible to add into the documents.