IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL CAPACITY BOOKING PLATFORM (RBP) AND SWITCH TO GAS YEAR 1 OCTOBER - 1 OCTOBER

In line with the implementation of the obligations of Regulation (ЕU) No 984/2013 establishing a Network Code on Capacity Allocation Mechanisms in Gas Transmission Systems, we would like to inform stakeholders on the required changes and forthcoming steps to be made in view of the capacity allocation procedures and the offer of transmission services at entry and exit points of Bulgartransgaz EAD gas transmission networks:

-        Switching to gas year “1 October - 1 October” will take place as of 1 October 2017. In this respect the next Gas year will start on 1 January, 2017 and end on 1 October 2017;

-        Regarding the capacity products starting 1 January, 2017 the allocation of the available capacity for transmission at the interconnection points (IPs) of Bulgartransgaz EAD gas transmission networks will be carried out via the Regional Booking Platform (RBP) in line with the requirements of Regulation (ЕU) No 984/2013;

-        If auctions are made at the points (handover and acceptance points) prior to publishing the access price (capacity price) for these points, the RBP auctions for them will start at a base price 0 BGN/kWh/d and a bidding step specified by Bulgartransgaz EAD and published on the RBP. All other transport tariffs adopted by EWRC at the time of transport contract implementation shall remain due.

 -        The allocation procedure of firm yearly capacity for the next gas year (1 January, 2017-1 October, 2017) will be held on 09.12.2016.

 -        Firm and interruptible capacity products (yearly, quarterly and monthly, daily) at the IPs for the next gas year (1 January,2017-1 October, 2017) will be announced at an auction via the Platform; Information on the beginning of the daily products auctions will be published in addition;

 -        If the TSOs of the neighbouring member states announce bundled capacity products, when announcing an auction on the Platform the firm capacity products announced by Bulgartransgaz EAD shall undergo a capacity bundling procedure. When booking a bundled capacity, the user of the Platform shall get entry and exit capacity on both sides of the IP at the same time.

 -        If there is no possibility to ensure the bundling of the firm capacity products on the Platform, they will be offered as unbundled capacity products (ensuring capacity at the relevant IP only in Bulgartransgaz EAD gas transmission network);

 -        Capacity products auctions for the next gas year (1 January,2017-1 October, 2017) for IPs and at the internal exit and entry points of the network will be in line with the following schedule:

* There might be amendments in the schedule after the publication of the ENTSOG Auction Calendar for gas year 2017/2018;

** At the internal entry and exit points the capacity allocation mechanism is pro-rata to the nominations.

-        The capacity products auctions for gas year 2017/2018 at the IPs will be held in line the standard Capacity Auction Calendar published by ENTSOG in compliance with art. 3, para. 2 of Regulation (ЕU) No 984/2013;

 -        As of 1 January, 2017 the capacity nomination and allocation as well as the implementation of capacity nomination, re-nomination, matching and allocation procedures is foreseen to be made in energy units - kWh/d (in line with the requirements of the existing regulations) and in m³/d for information;

We would like to draw the attention of the existing and potential users of the gas transmission networks that after 1 December, 2016 nomination and allocation of capacity at both the above interconnection points and the internal entry and exit points of the system will be made on the Regional Capacity Booking Platform (RBP) and the date for nomination of the first capacity product (firm yearly capacity for 2017) is December 9, 2016 we therefore expect potential users to take the steps required to register on the Platform until December 5, 2016.

Each successful capacity allocation procedure on the Booking Platform ends with an electronic written confirmation on capacity allocated to the participant in the procedure and the TSO of the nominated entry and/or exit points.

Within a 3-day period after the end of the allocation procedures on the Booking Platform Bulgartransgaz EAD shall submit to the participant in the procedure a draft Transport Contract in line with the electronic written confirmation on capacity allocated.

The Transport Contract shall be signed after the submission of the documents and evidence as required by art.2, para. 2 of the Rules on Access to gas transmission and gas distribution networks and storage facilities.

Information on the RBP registration is available here:

More information on RBP and the documents on its use are available here:

-        Network User Membership Agreement

-        RBP Operational rules

-        Registration form