Network connections for generators (EnA Art. 15 para. 1e) may from the network connection point onwards require increases in network capacity that are according to Art. 22 para. 3 of the Electricity Supply Ordinance (StromVV; SR 734.71) part of the system services of the national grid operator. The national grid operator reimburses network operators for the cost of the required increases in network capacity (Art. 22 para. 4 and 5 StromVV) on the basis of approval by ElCom.
ElCom evaluates applications to increase network capacity according to three criteria:
- Necessity
The network operator must demonstrate the need for increasing network capacity on the basis of the installed system capacity by means of recognised standards and regulations (e.g. the D-A-CH-CZ Technical Rules for Network Disturbance Assessment or EN 50160).
- Efficiency
Network operators are obliged to connect generation plants to the technically and economically most favourable feed-in point. This requires the calculation of several variable factors. The most economically advantageous of these is the option that has the lowest total costs which meets both the legal requirements and the technical regulations.
- Network connection point (cost divisor)
The network connection point is usually the last point from which other network connection users are connected. The network connection point is determined on the basis of the economically most favourable variant and not vice versa.
