PSE joined the PICASSO platform

On 11 July 2025, PSE operationally joined the European platform for the exchange of balancing energy from automatic Frequency Restoration Reserves (aFRR) – the PICASSO platform. This enables cross-border activation of aFRR balancing capacity between Poland and other countries participating in the PICASSO platform.

Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve – also referred to as secondary control or automatic minute reserve – is used to restore the system frequency to its nominal value of 50 Hz after an unplanned change in demand or another disturbance that disrupts the balance between electricity generation and consumption, by automatically adjusting generating capacity.

Until now, activation of aFRR balancing capacity had been carried out solely within the national Load-Frequency Control (LFC) framework, using domestic resources providing aFRR. Joining the PICASSO platform allows domestic aFRR capacity to be activated for the needs of foreign systems, as well as foreign aFRR capacity to be activated for the needs of the Polish Power System (KSE).

Joining the PICASSO platform enhances the security of access to aFRR capacity and is expected to help minimise the costs of aFRR activation across all operators operating within the platform. It also opens access to foreign markets for balancing service providers connected to the Polish Power System (KSE) and enables competition with entities supplying aFRR from other EU countries.

In addition to PSE, transmission system operators from 16 countries have so far operationally joined the platform: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Slovakia, and Italy.

Source: https://www.pse.pl