The new performance standards established by ANRE for electricity distribution service entail the need for network operators to invest equally both in cities and in rural areas, indicate a press release issued by the regulator. However, the authority hopes that promoting investments in those critical areas where quality and operation problems have been identified will lead to advance energy efficiency and savings for consumers.

Failure to comply with the performance indicators set out on the part of distributors allows consumers to receive monetary compensation from them, indicates ANRE Order no.11/2016. During the Regulatory Committee meeting on Wednesday, authority representatives have approved new performance standards for distribution, transmission and system services.

The new standards replace those approved in 2007 and their ultimate aim is to reduce the number and duration of interruptions. Order 11 governing distribution service quality and sets both performance indicators and how they will be monitored and recorded.

At the same meeting, the Regulatory Committee also approved Order 12/2016 regarding performance standard for the transmission service and system services in the electricity sector.

Under the law, the transmission system operator (TSO), in case Transelectrica, provides a public service of national interest for all users of the transmission grid, ensuring their network access without discrimination, in compliance with technical and commercial regulations in force.

The new performance indicators guarantee public service obligations by the operator, ensuring quality of service of electricity transmission and system services. By respecting the guaranteed level of performance indicators, TSO ensures safe operation of the national power system, and the efficiency and reliability of the transmission grid.

The monitoring of performance indicators regarding the technical quality of electricity transmitted and the evolution of these indicators from one year to another provides significant information for the TTSO with the purpose of highlighting the measures necessary to improve service quality.

However, the inclusion of the obligation to grant compensation for failing to comply with specific performance indicators lead to increased operator responsibility, so as to work towards increasing its customer satisfaction by increasing service quality.