Direct balancing group membership

Suppliers have direct contractual relationships with their balancing group representatives (BGRs), and are thus referred to as “direct” balancing group members, while most consumers are “indirect” members of their suppliers’ balancing groups, by dint of their exclusive supply contracts.

However, consumers, too, can be direct members of balancing groups. Large consumers often opt for this in order to optimise their supply portfolios and look after procurement of their balancing energy themselves.

Direct balancing group membership means that:

• The consumer has a direct contractual relationship with the BGR
• The consumer has all the rights and duties established by the general terms and conditions of balancing group representatives
• The consumer has a supply contract with a supplier in the same or another balancing group
• The consumer looks after procuring its own balancing energy, in conjunction with the BGR
  

The following document contains further information, relevant excerpts from the Market Rules and examples of the way that direct balancing group membership works for consumers:

Direct balancing group membership for gas consumers unmittelbare-bg-mitgliedschaft.pdf - (German only) 38.8kB