| the Journal of Regulation

Updated: Sept. 25, 2012 (Initial publication: Sept. 25, 2012)

Thesaurus : Doctrine

Les Nouvelles régulations électriques

Energy

Updated: Sept. 25, 2012 (Initial publication: June 9, 2012)

Sectorial Analysis

II-5.14: On May 15, 2012, the "Conseil d'Etat" (French Council of State) seized the Court of Justice of the European Union of a preliminary question about the national tariff in support of wind energy

TRANSLATED SUMMARIES

ENGLISH

In France, the Minister of Ecology has issued an Order to facilitate the purchase of electricity generated by wind. The text is being challenged before the "Conseil d’Etat" (State Council) for illegality, in that it constitutes state aid. The State Council considers the matter serious enough to suspend the proceeding and seized the Court of Justice of the European Union of a preliminary question on 15 May 2012.

FRENCH

En France, le ministre de l’Ecologie a émis une ordonnance afin de faciliter l’achat de l’électricité produite par le vent. Le texte est actuellement contestée devant le «Conseil d’Etat" (Conseil d’Etat) pour cause d’illégalité, en ce qu’elle constitue une aide d’Etat. Le Conseil d’Etat considère que l’affaire suffisamment grave pour suspendre la procédure et saisi la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne d’une question préjudicielle le 15 mai 2012.

Energy

Updated: Sept. 25, 2012 (Initial publication: July 8, 2011)

Sectorial Analysis

II-5.8: The French Electricity Regulator can legitimately use its powers to organize Diffuse Effacement, but oversteps its mandate (ultra vires) when it mandates that intermediaries remunerate the energy supplier

Main information

The technique of “effacement diffus” [diffuse effacement] is when a number of electricity consumers agree beforehand to consume less electricity at certain times (effacement), which allows other consumers to use the network at peak hours. Corporate intermediaries arrange these diffuse effacements, thereby participating in the adjustment system vital to the security of the electricity distribution network. The Commission de Régulation de l’Energie (CRE – French energy regulator) organized the system of “diffuse seffacement” even though this measure was not contained in statute. The Conseil d'Etat (French Council of State)’s Voltalis ruling, handed down on May 3, 2011, recognizes the CRE’s right to organize this system. But, it also deems that the regulator exceeded its powers by mandating that the corporate intermediaries organizing diffuse effacement remunerate the electricity provider.

Energy

Updated: Sept. 17, 2012 (Initial publication: Sept. 9, 2012)

Breaking news

On 5 September 2012, the Cameroonian electricity regulator, estimated that the public operator fails to meet its obligations

In Cameroon, the electricity sector is organized around a public operator, the Aes-Sonel, which the State conceded the transmission and distribution of electricity. The “Agence de Régulation du Secteur de l’Energie – ARSEL ( Cameroons Regulatory Agency Electricity Sector ) is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of the system, quality of service and consumer protection. As in other African countries for the moment the country suffers from a lack of electrification planning and a lack of access to electricity, a significant portion of the population. However, the regulator has commissioned a survey from June 4 to August 16, 2012. He was released on September 5 which he says the study shows that the operator doesn’t provide public service obligations correctly towards consumers. The operator responds by saying that on the one hand the study is not conclusive and that other conditions, external to him, do not bring electricity to everyone but it’s not its fault.