Antitrust Case AT.40461 | DK/DE Interconnector

Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 19/03/2018
Content Type

Further information:

The Commission's antitrust investigation focuses on indications that TenneT could have reduced the amount of transmission capacity available on the electricity interconnector at the border between Western Denmark and Germany.

If proven, this behaviour would breach EU antitrust rules, specifically on the abuse of a dominant market position (Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), as it would amount to discrimination against non-German electricity producers and to a segmentation of the Single Market for energy.

Background information:

TenneT TSO GmbH (TenneT) is the largest of the four German transmission system operators that manage the high-voltage electricity network in Germany. Transmission system operators transport electricity from generation plants to large industrial electricity consumers and to regional or local electricity distribution operators, which in turn deliver electricity to households and other smaller industrial consumers.

Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibits the abuse of a dominant market position which may affect trade between Member States. The implementation of this provision is defined in the Antitrust Regulation (Council Regulation No 1/2003), which can be applied by the Commission and by the national competition authorities of EU Member States.

The European Commission opened on 19 March 2018 a formal investigation to assess whether German grid operator TenneT's limitation of capacity from Denmark into Germany breaches EU antitrust rules.

On 27 March, the Commission invited comments on commitments by TenneT to increase capacity on the electricity interconnector.

Source Link http://ec.europa.eu/competition/elojade/isef/case_details.cfm?proc_code=1_40461
Related Links
European Commission: Press Release, 19.03.18: Commission opens investigation into German grid operator TenneT for limiting cross border electricity capacity with Denmark http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2122_en.htm
EurActiv, 19.03.18: EU to investigate German grid cross-border power capacity curbs https://www.euractiv.com/section/electricity/news/eu-to-investigate-german-grid-cross-border-power-capacity-curbs/
European Commission: Press Release, 27.03.18: Commission invites comments on TenneT's proposed commitments to increase cross border electricity capacity with Denmark http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-2622_en.htm

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Record URL https://www.europeansources.info/record/?p=511515