Czech ministry proposes storage capacity auctions to 2027

The Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) has published a draft amendment to its August general measure on the country’s capacity mechanism, aiming to clarify conditions and strengthen legal certainty for participants. The draft introduces changes to 20 provisions, including shifting two extraordinary supplementary auctions from 2026 to 2027. It also proposes adjustments to rules for extending preliminary assessments and how the demand curve is constructed. Stakeholders may submit comments until October 30.

The draft also specifies that capacity eligible for 15-year contracts may compete in multiple auctions simultaneously. The transmission system operator ČEPS extended the preliminary assessment deadline for the first three auctions, including the main and supplementary auctions, from September 20 to November 18 at the ministry’s request. The extension aims to widen competition among future capacity providers amid energy equipment market and supply chain conditions.

The first delivery period for the capacity mechanism runs from November 1, 2030, to October 31, 2031. The European Commission approved the original mechanism on July 16 for a 10-year duration with an estimated budget of €3.1 billion to €6.2 billion, financed through consumer charges. Individual contracts can last up to 15 years.

Eligible participants include existing and new generation, electricity storage, cross-border capacity, and demand-side response. Czechia added 318 MWh of battery storage in the first half of 2026, up from 174 MWh a year earlier, with the solar association expecting total battery capacity to reach 6 GWh by 2030. Recent projects include Katemo Group’s 37.95 MW/41.7 MWh battery at a hybrid solar plant in Modlany.