All three electricity distributors in the Czech Republic have stopped accepting applications to reserve grid capacity from new photovoltaic and wind power plants.
This does not affect power plants that have already reserved grid capacity.
This moves follows a warning by CEPS, the sole operator of the Czech electricity transmission system, that the system would become overloaded if the recent boom in the number of photovoltaic power and wind plants were to continue at its current pace.
It is not clear for how long new applications will be suspended. It is expected that they will start to be accepted again once the distributors have agreed stricter rules for reserving grid capacity. This could happen as soon as March.
Under Czech law, the grid operator does not have to connect a new plant to the grid when there is a lack of distribution capacity or when it would endanger the reliable operation of the electricity grid system.
Law: Section 4 (2) of Act No. 180/2005 Coll., on Renewable Energy Support
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The original publication date for this article was 18/02/2010.
