Publication of Order TED/724/2022, of 27 July, which extends the term in which electricity transmission and distribution network managers are able to issue limited operational notifications pursuant to the first transitional provision of Royal Decree 647/2020, of 7 July, amending Annex IV of that royal decree: 18-month extension for limited operational notifications.
Royal Decree 647/2020, of 7 July, which regulates the necessary aspects for implementing the network codes for the grid connection of certain electricity facilities ("RD 647/2020"), introduced into Spanish legislation the operational notifications required and regulated by Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/631 of 14 April 2016 establishing a network code on requirements for grid connection of generators ("Regulation 2016/631"). As a result, the prior registration in the RAIPEE (registry of electricity generation facilities) of electricity generation facilities included within the scope of application of RD413/2014 (and, therefore, facilities that generate electricity from renewable sources) that are connected to the transmission network or that are connected to the distribution network and have an installed power capacity greater than 1MW or that are part of a group of facilities with an aggregate power exceeding 1MW, will require the prior obtainment of an interim operational notification (ION); definitive registration in the RAIPEE will require the prior obtainment of a final operational notification (FON).
However, RD647/2020 includes a First Transitional Provision in which it allowed the owners of facilities to apply for an obtain, within 24 months (term starting on the date on which Order TED/749/2020 entered into effect, thus lapsing 2 August 2022), a limited operational notification (LON) from network managers and, with the LON achieve definitive registration in the RAIPEE. LONs also had a limited validity – if the indicated deadline were to elapse without a facility's owner having accredited that it had fully met all of the requirements established in Regulation 2016/631 for obtaining the FON, it would be void and the facility's definitive registration in the RAIPEE would be cancelled.
Order TED/724/2022 extends that 24-month term by an additional 18 months (until 2 February 2024) with the aim of making it possible for network managers to continue issuing LONs as well as to prevent the annulment of those that have been issued up to now. This is as a result of a fall in the availability of accredited certification entities to issue certifications of compliance with the referred technical requirements, as highlighted by different operators.
