Yes. System operators shall conclude uniform interconnection point agreements for all interconnection points. OBA is the preferred option. Provisions are contained in the Natural Gas Act 2011 and in the Gas Market Model (Amendment) Ordinance 2013.

Note: the English versions of the Natural Gas Act and the Gas Market Model (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 are non-binding documents. For a legally binding version of the texts, please refer to the relevant Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette).

Natural Gas Act 2011 Chapter 3 - Common Provisions - Interconnection Point Agreements

Section 67. (1) The system operators shall conclude uniform interconnection point agreements with each other for all interconnection points between their systems. Such interconnection point agreements at interconnection points shall be concluded in consultation with and following the specifications of the market area manager and the distribution area manager, as applicable. The same shall apply for interconnection point agreements with system operators in other countries and the operators of storage or production facilities. Inasmuch as such agreements with system operators in other countries or operators of storage or production facilities impact on distribution network control, the corresponding contracts shall be concluded following the specifications of the distribution area manager.

(2) Interconnection point agreements shall regulate, in line with the aims of this Act, the technical terms for the interconnection of the systems. Interconnection point agreements shall include the following arrangements as a minimum:

1. technical specifications for the operation of the interconnection point and the systems interconnected at such point, including, but not limited to, gas pressure and quality;

2. a list of the data necessary for the technical control of the interconnection point;

3. data and information exchange procedures;

4. procedures for handling any deviations, in particular in the case of compressor station breakdowns, metering inaccuracies and differences between nominated and allocated gas quantities;

5. procedures and conditions for the mutual provision of linepack pursuant to para. 3.

The interconnection point agreements shall be notified to the regulatory authority. The regulatory authority may request by official decision that the interconnection point agreements be amended where they do not conform to the provisions of this Act.

(3) Each transmission system operator shall establish operational balancing accounts at the interconnection points for the adjoining transmission system operators and the downstream distribution system operators, to enable the use of each others’ linepack. Such operational balancing accounts shall be as large as is technically possible and economically feasible. The limits of the operational balancing accounts at an interconnection point may differ for different systems.

(4) In cases of interconnection points at which schedules or nominations must be submitted, the contracts shall be designed so that system users can normally rely on them being exercised precisely.

Section 26(3) Gas Market Model (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 – Balancing and clearing by the Market Area Manager

(3) Discrepancies between nominated and metered values shall be offset among the network operators by way of operational balancing agreements. At entry/exit points where no operational balancing agreements are in place yet, such discrepancies shall be borne by the system operators. The balance responsible party shall assume that confirmed nominated volumes correspond to allocated volumes.

Interconnection Point Agreements and Linepack Section 29

The interconnection point agreements to be concluded in accordance with section 67 Gaswirtschaftsgesetz (Natural Gas Act) 2011 shall ensure the efficient deployment of linepack as control energy.

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