Intelligent Grid: Unfinished Regulation in the Third EU Energy Package
The introduction of intelligent grids and/or intelligent metering systems
promises much from the perspective of the three pillars of European law
and policy: security of supply, sustainable development and competition.
The analysis in this article mainly covers the legal provisions of the third
energy liberalisation package of the European Union (EU) and the regulatory
challenges connected with the introduction of intelligent grids and/or
intelligent metering systems. Legal regulations in the new liberalisation
directives seem to be ‘unfinished’ as the development of intelligent
grids and/or intelligent metering systems is dynamically evolving. The
author argues that the uncertainty of future legal provisions should not
be considered as a barrier to intelligent grids and/or intelligent metering
systems deployment and presents his prognosis of the future development
of legal regulations in this respect. Furthermore, the author suggests that
the deployment of smart grids will change many aspects of regulatory
policy, which will have to evolve towards ‘output-based regulation’.