Energy Regulatory Office Form for the notification of direct line construction now available! - News -

On 7 September 2023, the amendment to the Energy Law came into force, which provides for the possibility of the operation of so-called direct lines without the need to obtain the consent of the President of the Energy Regulatory Office in the form of an administrative decision. Now, the only requirement involves the entry of the direct line in the relevant list to be maintained by the Regulator on the basis of the notifications received by the President of URE^[1]. A model application form is now available on the website of URE.

A direct line allows electricity generators and consumers to be connected while bypassing the public distribution network. This will enable greater use of renewable energy sources by industrial consumers, which in turn, by reducing energy costs, should have a positive impact on their competitiveness.

What will be the procedure for listing a line?

According to the amended provisions of the Energy Law, the entity applying for the construction of a direct line or having legal title to such line will submit a notification of its intention to build a direct line to the President of URE^[2]. The President of URE will enter the direct line in the list of direct lines, within 45 days from the date of submission of a correct notification after having ascertained:

• the correctness of the information contained in the notification;
• the correctness of the wiring diagram of the line;
• the absence of any reasonable doubt – on the basis of the expert report submitted – as to the adverse impact of the direct line, or of equipment, installations or networks connected to it, on the power supply system.

Immediately after a direct line is included in the list of direct lines, the President of URE will issue a confirmation of the entry of the direct line in the list^[3]. The regulator will also maintain the list of direct lines and publish it in the Public Information Bulletin^[4].

Form of notification of direct line construction

In order to facilitate the procedure for notifying the intention to build a direct line, or to continue using a direct line^[5], the Energy Regulatory Office has developed a model notification form  which provides guidance on all the necessary details and formal requirements for a correct notification of a line. The form and its attachments are available on the website of URE (link).

The notification form, together with the required documentation, should be sent to the Energy Regulatory Office at: ul. Towarowa 25a, 00-869 Warsaw, or in a digital form via the ePUAP electronic mailbox: /URE/SkrytkaESP.

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The introduction of the possibility to establish direct lines implements of one of the main demands of the European Union Directive 2019/944 on common rules for the internal market in electricity.^[6] The new solutions adopted in the amended act will enable the development of such connections.