New Connections

The first applications for connection to the Transmission System have been submitted to the TSO during the current year (2006) .

Terms for Connection to the Transmission System have been issued to some applicants and the TSO is in the process of issuing terms for the remaining applicants.

The procedure followed for the connection of a Producer or a Consumer to the Transmission System

The procedure has as follows:

1. Firstly the interested party completes and submits to the TSO the "Application for Connection to the Transmission System" form, which is available at the TSO website. Together he submits all the relative information that is requested in the application form.

The granting of a Licence or Exemption from the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) is a prerequisite for an application to be accepted, e.g. in the case of Power Stations, the granting of a "Construction Licence" is necessary.

 2. The TSO examines the application, if this is complete. The TSO then proceeds with the preparation of the for connection terms, in the form of a "Connection Offer". 

3. The applicant must accept or reject the Offer within a specific period of time as determined by the TSO. If the applicant accepts the Connection Offer, then the "Connection Agreement" is signed, which is based on the terms of the Connection Offer, as accepted by the applicant.

In the case that the application involves a Power Station, and in the meantime during the examination of the application by the TSO and before the issuing of the Connection Offer, the applicant must be granted a "Production and Operation Licence", as granted by CERA.  

Before signing the Connection Agreement, the applicant must obtain a Planning Permit or Exemption for developing his plant, or at least a preliminary approval by the Planning Department.  

4. The procedures for obtaining the required government permits and approvals for the connecting network begin after signing the Connection Agreement and since the applicant has provided the TSO with the necessary bank guarantees and the corresponding amount of money according to the Connection Agreement terms. After the instructions of the TSO, EAC undertakes the responsibility to obtain all permits and approvals required for the connecting network.

5. The construction works of the plant and the connecting network begin immediately after the granting of the necessary permits and approvals as required by the legislation.

6. To enable connection to the existing electrical system, additionally to the other installations he/she has to erect, the applicant must also construct his/her own Producer’s / Consumer’s Central Installations Substation (PCIS / CCIS, accordingly) which will be referred to in the specific Connection Agreement.

The equipment, the erection works and the tests which are necessary for the establishment of this substation must comply with the particular requirements for which a general guidance as well as the detailed description are given in the Transmission Substation Equipment Specifications.

Discrimination of the responsibilities of TSO and EAC regarding applications for connection 

The discrimination of responsibilities of the TSO and EAC regarding the examination of applications and the issuing of connection terms depends on the Connecting Capacity of the interested party, expressed in MVA, as following:

• Applications for Connecting Capacity equal or smaller than 5 MVA shall be directed to EAC, as Distribution System Operator, and are examined by EAC. Terms are issued by EAC.
• Applications for Connecting Capacity greater than 5 MVA and smaller or equal to 8 MVA shall be directed to the TSO, and are examined either by the TSO or by EAC, depending on the voltage level of the connection. Terms are issued by EAC.
• Applications for Connecting Capacity greater than 8 MVA and smaller or equal to 15 MVA shall be directed to the TSO and are examined by him for connection to the Transmission Network. If the connection is at the Distribution Network, applications are examined by EAC as well. Terms are issued by the TSO.
• Applications with Connecting Capacity greater than 5 MVA shall be directed to the TSO and are examined by the TSO. Terms are issued by the TSO.

Note: The above are described with more information in Articles T2.4.4 and T2.4.5 of the Transmission and Distribution Rules, Edition 2.0.0.