The EU Electricity Winter Package

The winter package was finally formally published last Wednesday. The Package proposes significant changes to the Third Energy Package of 2009. The "winter package" of proposals has three main goals:

• putting energy efficiency first;
• achieving global leadership in renewable energies; and
• providing a fair deal for consumers.

Key changes include:

• strengthening provisions relating to consumer rights;
• a framework for demand response aggregation;
• greater role and regulation of distribution system operators (DSOs), including the establishment of ENTSO-E;
• greater regulation of capacity remuneration mechanisms (CRMs) including market based non-discriminatory provision for CRMs;