The Goal of the Electricity Security Platform: To Optimize Load Reduction Processes

The tool is designed to optimize load reduction processes efficiently and in a coordinated manner. According to the Federal Network Agency, it complies with the regulatory requirements of the EnSiG and the Electricity Security Ordinance (EltSV), as well as other official requirements and regulations. SiPlaS addresses the proactive development of a tool for coordinating and managing nationwide energy shortages.

SiPlaS is a communication platform through which master data and transaction data regarding load reduction for defined emergency time windows are to be provided by consumers. In the event of energy shortages, load reductions may be mandated by the Federal Load Dispatcher for Electricity (the Federal Network Agency, pursuant to the EnSiG) with at least 24 hours’ notice to stabilize the system and maintain public order.

According to the Federal Network Agency, there are expressly no indications of a potential energy shortage
. According to the BNetzA, the system is not being established based on indications of a potential energy shortage, but is intended to support the Federal Network Agency in the procedural handling of the aforementioned potential crisis scenarios. The Federal Network Agency has also explicitly reiterated this point to the BDI.

In addition to the Federal Network Agency and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the parties expected to participate in the future Electricity Security Platform include the relevant grid operators as well as consumers (loads) with a projected annual electricity consumption of at least 10 GWh.

The Electricity Security Platform complements the existing load reduction processes of the transmission system operators. A similar process already exists as part of the preliminary stage of load reduction (voluntary load reduction) pursuant to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) and the load shedding cascade pursuant to VDE AR-N-4140. The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has commissioned Amprion GmbH to establish and ensure the ongoing operation of the Electricity Security Platform.

Potential participants are to be integrated via the process document (draft) issued
by the Federal Network Agency. The integration of potential participants into the process coordination is to take place via the draft of the BNetzA process document (LINK), which was prepared in collaboration with the transmission system operators and selected distribution system operators. The goal is to ensure the practical feasibility of the processes by involving potential participants.

The Federal Network Agency has submitted a process document for discussion as part of a consultation with industry associations, with a deadline of December 12, 2025. Feedback should be submitted by December 12, 2025, if possible, to sicherheitsplattform-strom@bnetza.de; lastreduktion@amprion.net.

According to the Federal Network Agency, the feedback will be treated confidentially and reviewed jointly with the relevant parties from the transmission system operators.

Next Steps
The evaluation of the industry consultation on the process document (draft) is now set to begin. Implementation is scheduled to start in January 2026. A “minimum viable product” is planned for Q4 2026.