On 25th November 2022, the Energy Agency adopted the Act on the Methodology for Calculating Network Fees for Electricity Operators (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 146/22, taking into account amendments)
(hereinafter referred to as the Act), with the aim of encouraging system users to use the network during periods of least load, thereby contributing to the optimization of the distribution and electrical energy system.
The Act will come into effect on 1st March 2024, and with the establishment of a new methodology for calculating the network fee, it brings changes for all users
through the introduction of a new tariff system, the main features of which will be:
- Calculation based on 15-minute values,
- Introduction of two seasons (higher/lower),
- Five-time blocks,
- Introduction of contracted and excess capacity.
The first innovation pertains to a new method of determining tariff rates for the network fee for energy (kWh), which will be calculated for the system user based on their classification into a user group and their system usage in each specific time block, using 15-minute measurements. The calendar year will be divided into two seasons, , within which there will be five-time blocks classified by periods and hours. Within one season, users will be able to adjust their consumption within four-time blocks (blocks 1 and 5 are mutually exclusive), and within a single day, they can adjust between three blocks. The electricity consumption will be most expensive in time block 1 and least expensive in time block 5.
In cases where 15-minute values for consumed energy cannot be recorded, the monthly calculation of the network fee will still be calculated as before, based on the consumed energy during the peak (VT), intermediate (MT), and off-peak (ET) periods.
The network fee rates for the year 2024 will be announced by the Energy Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, expectedly in the fall of 2023.
Changes are also expected in the area of determining the billing capacity (kW). The billing will henceforth be based on15-minute measurements, which will serve as the basis for determining the annual agreed billing capacity individually for each measurement point. For system users where 15-minute measurements will not be recorded at the measurement points, the billing capacity will be determined proportionally based on the user's connected load in accordance with Article 14 of the Act. In the event that the achieved billing capacity exceeds a determined billing capacity, the user of the system will now also be charged for the excess billing capacity according to the methodology defined by the Act.
*For system users with a connection power up to and including 43 kW, who will not have their agreed capacity changed by the distributor at measuring points in accordance with Article 12 of the Act, the excess billing capacity for the years 2024 and 2025 will not be charged, but they will be informed about it.
The user of the system will be informed each year about the new agreed billing capacity by the grid operator or supplier through the bills for the months of June, July, and August in the current year for the following year. The user will have the option to change this agreed billing capacity determined by the grid operator no later than September 20th of the current year.
Additional information is available on the website of the Energy Agency and www.uro.si.