As a result of tests conducted last week, Elering confirmed that Auvere power plant meets the requirements of the European frequency management platform MARI (Manually Activated Reserves Initiative) as a provider of manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR).

As a result of the qualification, Auvere will continue to provide manual Frequency Restoration Reserve after the MARI mFRR market opens and new requirements take effect in October 2024. The plant will be able to offer up to 50 MW of upregulation and downregulation capacity to the mFRR market.

According to Aleksandr Jefremov, member of the management board of Enefit Power, the Narva power plants have an important role to play in the event of the desynchronisation of the electricity grid, as Enefit Power’s production capacities make up 85% of generation capacity run by Estonia. ‘Previously, Enefit Power has provided manual Frequency Restoration Reserve under the existing requirements. We have also provided system services to the Finnish grid operator Fingrid through the Estlink1 cable. We are pleased that we can continue to support the local energy system with our experience and production assets,’ said Jefremov.

Eesti Energia has previously participated in the regulating capacity market of the Baltic and Finnish electricity systems with various production assets. Both Enefit Power’s power plants and Enefit Green’s wind farms are connected to Elering’s systems to provide fast-reacting energy reserves that support energy security and security of supply. According to Jefremov, participating in the Finnish system services market has also helped prepare for Estonia’s connection to the Continental European electricity grid.

Estonia will connect from the Russian electricity system to the Continental European electricity system in February 2025. This will create a need for flexible and fast-reacting reserves that can be activated in real-time through digital solutions. The transition to a green energy system will also increase the demand for regulation reserves.

After joining the Continental European frequency area, European-wide digital market platforms MARI and PICASSO will be used for frequency management, aimed at operating energy offers for manual Frequency Restoration Reserve (mFRR) and automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR), respectively. The technical pre-qualifications conducted by Elering are a prerequisite for participating in the European energy platforms MARI and PICASSO markets.