The demand response mechanism’s participation in the balancing market is headed for a delay that could require about four more months, despite a Market Reform Plan target that had set the launch for early February.

This estimate is based on the time still needed for the completion of a series of preliminary steps.

These include a legal framework for green aggregation concerning demand response, still needing approval.

Meanwhile, progress has been made on other Market Reform Plan revisions, such as terms distinguishing between balancing energy and redispatching.

Also, a term limiting physical delivery by independent vertically integrated energy suppliers to 20 percent of bilateral agreements has been lifted since the beginning of the year. RAE, the Regulatory Authority for Energy, also plans to soon lift this limit for PPC, the power utility.

The intraday market entry of traders faces delay as, according to sources, terms for transboundary trade concerning intraday markets that have not been coupled have not been finalized with market operators and grid transmission authorities in Albania, North Macedonia and Turkey.