Azerbaijan Energy Regulatory Agency (AERA) and Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway) held an online exchange of information meeting with representatives from both sides.

Samir Akhundov, the Chairman of the Board of the AERA expressed a keen interest in learning German experience in the field of energy regulation and future cooperation with the Bundesnetzagentur and turned the meeting over to the Dr. Annegret Groebel, the Head of Department for International Cooperation at Bundesnetzagentur and President of the Council of European Energy Regulators.

Ms. Groebel spoke about Germany’s energy transition targets and progress made in reducing carbon emissions. She shared  information about collaboration of Bundesnetzagentur with the tariff regulatory authorities for other economy areas on tariff  settings and legal force of by-laws adopted by the regulatory body in relation to the acts of the Ministry of Economy and Energy of Germany.

Stefan Arent, referent at Bundesnetzagentur, provided detailed information about transparency in maintaining the register of licensees in Germany, methods to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the use of fuel and energy resources in electricity and heating energy as well as gas supply facilities, norms of technological consumption and the rules for monitoring compliance with these norms.

Addressing other issues included into the agenda, Alexander Linov, referent at Bundesnetzagentur, spoke about determination of the norms of restrictions and direct shut-downs in the power supply, the rules for controlling cut-offs, the rules for calculating fines for violations and incentive payments, incentive mechanisms implemented to reduce losses in transmission and distribution networks and regulatory procedure.

While answering the question addressed by AERA representative, Stefan Arent explained that the definition of “active consumer” has different meaning in German and EU legislation. He stressed that in the Article 2 (8) of No. 944 EU Clean Energy Package (C.E.P.)  Directive dated 2019,  “active customer” means a final customer, or a group of jointly acting final customers, who consumes or stores electricity generated within its premises located within confined boundaries.

During the meeting, regulators discussed issues related to the exchange of experience as a next step.

About AERA

The Azerbaijan Energy Regulatory Agency (AERA) regulates and inspects issues related to electricity, gas and heat supply. Established with the Presidential Decree No.1750 dated   December 22,2017, the Agency operates as a public legal entity under the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan.

About Bundesnetzagentur

Bundesnetzagentur or BNetzA (The Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunications, Post and Railway) is the German regulatory office for electricity, gas, telecommunications, post and railway markets established on 1 January 1998.  It is a federal agency of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and headquartered in Bonn, Germany.