DH-600 Management of balance deviation
Management of balance deviation in Datahub is based on Finnish Energy’s instructions “Taseisiin jääneiden virheiden käsittely taseiden sulkeutumisen jälkeen” (Handling of balance deviation after balance window closure). Balance deviation is caused by processes that alter the supplier’s balance information or an accounting point’s metering data outside of the balance window. These processes are:
DH-211 Metering data report / correcting metering errors outside the balance window (for reading-based metering points – accounting points where the metering method is another than ’continuous metering’ – metering data is always reported retroactively, which causes imbalance errors).
DH-300 Agreement processes: the retroactive agreement processes, which alter the validities of agreements outside the balance window (retroactive starts, terminations and cancellations of agreements).
Manual balance information corrections performed by the Datahub operator at the parties’ request.
Updating reading metered sites’ metering data from data based on estimated yearly consumption to reading metered data, and the need for corrections caused by this, will be handled in the same balance deviation handling process as all other balance corrections.
Balance deviation calculation and handling process
The balance deviation correction process in Datahub is depicted in the figure above. First, Datahub defines supplier’s settlement data per accounting point, using the data of the time of calculation. In this case, settlement data includes the metered consumption of the accounting point from the time period during which the supplier has the balance responsibility. The calculation is executed only for accounting points, which, outside the balance window, have new metering data or balance information changes for the calculation period that have not been taken into account in the previous calculation runs.
The accounting point specific time series, which is compiled from the settlement data of the time of calculation, is called “metered data”. After this, the calculation result is compared to the accounting point specific settlement data time series, which is based on the locked data reported to imbalance settlement or on previously corrected data. More specifically, the metered data is compared to the corrected data for the time interval that has been processed in the previous calculation. For the time interval that has not yet been processed in the previous calculation, the metered data is compared to the data that was valid at the time of balance window closure. Possible differences in the comparison are recorded as balance deviations and the supplier’s correction in euros is created by multiplying the difference with the NordPool Spot Finnish area price. After this, the settlement data of the time of calculation, i.e., the metered data which was defined at the beginning, is stored as the settlement data time series, with which the next calculation result is compared. Metering data is always handled as positive values in Datahub and the balance deviation calculation will take signs into account depending on whether the accounting point in question is a production or consumption accounting point.
After the calculations have been executed and the Datahub operator has approved the calculation results, Datahub creates metering grid area specific correction billing materials for all suppliers and dispatches these to the DSOs and suppliers according to their rights to data. The materials include, for each accounting point, the metered data, settlement data time series values, balance deviations and metering grid area and supplier specific compilations of balance deviations. DSOs use the material for supplier-specific compensation or correction billing for their own metering grid area. Suppliers can use the material for checking the DSO’s balance deviation billing.
Balance deviation caused by metering data corrections
Regarding metering data, balance deviation is corrected only for suppliers responsible for correcting the customer’s sales agreement billing according to section Correction of metering data. Balance deviation for metering error is corrected for a supplier which holds a valid agreement at the time of balance deviation calculation and at the moment affected by the metering error. In other words, metering errors are not corrected for suppliers which in the imbalance settlement due to their own mistake have been responsible for the consumption of an accounting point without any actual right (agreement) to charge the customer for the electricity consumed. The DSO must always report corrected metering data for the whole time period affected, not only for the time period for which the supplier corrects the customer’s billing. In this way Datahub always has correct and up-to-date information for customers and third parties.
Balance deviation of metering grid area losses
In addition to accounting points, balance deviation occurs in metering grid area losses. Balance deviations of losses are recorded to the metering grid area’s loss supplier’s balance. Losses are affected both by metering data corrections outside the balance window and by balance information corrections where an accounting point is left without a supplier or a supplier is added to an accounting point without a supplier. The balance deviation time series for losses in metering grid areas is created by adding all balance deviation of the metering grid area’s accounting points, considering the signs. Settlement data time series for losses is compiled, as for an accounting point, using values locked for imbalance settlement or values updated according to metered data during the previous balance deviation calculation. In balance deviation calculation, the “metered data” of metering grid area losses is calculated conversely by adding balance deviations of the losses and settlement data time series. Finally, the calculated metered data is stored in the settlement data time series for the next calculation. Balance deviation information from accounting points that have caused the balance deviation of losses is not separately reported to the metering grid area’s loss supplier. The loss supplier is only informed about the total deviation of the losses. Balance deviations of losses are not reported to a supplier whose supply in the metering grid area has ended.
Balance deviation in energy netting and energy communities
Netting and energy community calculations are performed immediately when metering data is reported for a netted accounting point or for an accounting point belonging to an energy community. This also applies when metering data is reported for dates outside the balance window. In the balance deviation calculations, the possible changes in netted or energy community values are compared to the values closed in the balance settlement or in the previous balance deviation calculations. The surplus method of the energy community (SMA or SMB) has no effect on the handling of balance deviation. Balance deviation is caused if there are changes in the netted or energy community values after balance window closure.
Performance of balance deviation calculations
Balance deviation calculations are only performed as separate runs started by the Datahub operator. There are no automated/preset balance deviation calculations. Balance deviations are corrected retroactively for a period of three years on an accounting point-specific basis twice a year in accordance with the Finnish Energy instructions. Calculation of balance deviations can also be initiated at the specific request of an operator if the balance deviation is large and the operator wants to handle it quickly. Balance deviations can be calculated also for individual metering grid area or accounting point if needed. All balance settlement and balance deviation data, which have been the basis for correction invoicing, will be saved according to their time of calculation as history data for reviews. Thus, there’s always information in Datahub about what has been originally reported to imbalance settlement how this data has been corrected in each of the following balance deviation calculation runs.
Balance deviation events