08-09-08 A move by national electricity operators to set up a joint coordination centre to develop daily grid availability forecasts was applauded by the European Commission, which hopes similar collaboration will be repeated elsewhere in Europe.
The announcement was made by RTE and Elia, the power grid operators in France and Belgium respectively.

Starting operations in February 2009, the centre "will develop grid forecasts and support real-time monitoring of electricity flows on the grids of the Central Western European region in preparation for market coupling," the two organisations said. It will be located in Brussels and will supply electricity traders in the region with crucial information.
The German transmission system operator (TSO) Vattenfall Europe Transmission has already expressed its interest in this initiative, according to RTE and Elia.

Andris Piebalgs, the EU energy commissioner, applauded the initiative.
"I see this agreement as a concrete, important example of close cooperation between TSOs," Piebalgs said. "As you know, one of the key points in the third internal energy market package concerns reinforced cooperation between national TSOs. I am also convinced that today's step will contribute to more energy security in this region and in the EU as a whole. I hope this cooperation agreement will be followed by others in the rest of Europe."