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Technical requirements for providers of balancing reserve

Path to prequalification as a balancing service provider.

To be able to participate in the market as a balancing service provider, various technical requirements must be met. These requirements serve to ensure safe and reliable operation of the power grid and ensure that the balancing energy provided meets the qualitative and quantitative specifications. The Prequalification Conditions and IT Requirements page outlines the requirements to be met.

IT requirements. 

General requirements for information technology:

The provider must have an adequate IT infrastructure in place to ensure communication with the transmission system operators (TSOs) and provide the necessary data in real time.


  • These include secure and redundant data transmission routes, firewall systems, authentication mechanisms and seamless change management.
  • The availability of IT systems must be continuously monitored, and contingency plans must be in place in the event of disruptions.
  • The provider is obliged to comply with the "minimum requirements for the information technology of the reserve provider for the provision of balancing services" and to document these in an IT concept.
  • The TSOs reserve the right to verify compliance with the technical and organizational measures by means of audits.

Balancing reserve type-specific requirements:

  • FCR (Frequency Containment Reserve):
    • FCR units must have a high level of control accuracy and a fast response time.
    • The frequency measurement must comply with the requirements of Annex V of the SO GL.
    • In the case of units with limited energy storage, the requirements for storage dimensioning and storage management must be met.
    • As part of the prequalification, a trial must be carried out under operational conditions.
  • aFRR (automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve):
    • The aFRR units must be fully activated within five minutes.
    • The provider must ensure the manual specification of a setpoint on the instructions of the TSO by telephone.
  • mFRR (manual Frequency Restoration Reserve):
    • The provider must set up and test the communication connection to the Merit Order List Server (MOLS).
    • As part of a practical test, the correct operation of the provider client for the MOLS must be proven.
Requirements for balancing service provider.

In addition to the technical requirements mentioned above, balancing service providers must also meet various organizational and economic criteria in order to obtain prequalification and be able to participate in the market. Details of these requirements can be found in the "PQ Requirements" on regelleistung.net.