PSE have announced capacity market activation periods. What does this mean, and is there a risk of problems with electricity supply?

Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne have announced capacity market activation periods for Tuesday, 30 June, between 18:00–19:00, 19:00–20:00, and 20:00–21:00. The decision is related to the deteriorating power balance in the national electricity system. The operator assures, however, that individual consumers should not experience any effects of this decision.

The announcement of activation periods means the launch of one of the security mechanisms operating in the Polish power system. In practice, PSE obligate capacity market participants to fulfil previously contracted obligations — delivering energy to the system or reducing energy consumption by selected enterprises.

What is an activation period?

An activation period is a formal call issued by the transmission system operator to fulfil obligations arising from the capacity market. Such a notice is issued when forecasts indicate that the reserve of available capacity may fall below the level considered safe for the stable operation of the national grid.

Depending on the type of contract, capacity market participants must:

• start additional electricity generation,
• maintain readiness to deliver it immediately,
• or reduce their own energy consumption, leaving more capacity available to the entire system.

This mechanism works similarly to an insurance policy. Most of the time it remains invisible to consumers, but in moments of increased risk the operator may use contracted reserves.

Why did PSE take this step?

According to the operator, the decision was influenced by the simultaneous occurrence of several unfavourable factors.

First of all, Poland is struggling with a heatwave, which increases electricity demand. High temperatures mean greater use of air conditioning in residential buildings, offices, shopping centres, and industrial facilities.

At the same time, forecasts indicate low electricity production from wind farms. This means that part of the missing energy must be replaced by conventional sources, whose availability is also currently limited due to maintenance or failures of some generating units.

The combination of high demand and lower supply means that the operator activates additional safeguards to maintain an appropriate safety margin.

Should consumers be concerned?

No. PSE emphasize that announcing activation periods does not pose a threat to electricity supply for households.

The average consumer will not notice any changes. The mechanism applies only to entities that voluntarily participate in the capacity market and receive remuneration for being ready to provide services to the power system.

For companies participating in demand‑reduction programs, this means the need to temporarily reduce energy consumption in accordance with the terms of their contracts.

The capacity market was created for exactly such situations

The Polish capacity market has been operating since 2021. Its main goal is to ensure an adequate number of available generating units even when renewable energy production is insufficient or demand increases sharply.

Unlike the traditional energy market, capacity market participants receive remuneration not only for the energy produced but also for the mere readiness to deliver it when needed. Thanks to this, the operator has additional reserves that can be activated in crisis situations.

This is not the first such case

Announcing activation periods is not unprecedented, although in practice it is very rare. Since the launch of the capacity market in 2021, PSE have used this mechanism only twice before the current decision.

The first actual activation period was announced on 23 September 2022 and applied between 19:00–20:00 and 20:00–21:00. The second case occurred on 6 November 2024, when the operator designated activation periods between 16:00–17:00, 17:00–18:00, and 18:00–19:00.

Throughout 2023, PSE did not announce any actual activation periods — only test periods were conducted to verify the readiness of capacity market participants.

The most demanding situations usually occur when high temperatures, weak wind limiting production from wind farms, and outages of some generating units happen simultaneously. In such conditions, the operator uses available tools to maintain the stability of the national power system and avoid the need for more restrictive measures.

Thus, the activation periods announced for 30 June 2026 are the third actual use of this mechanism since the capacity market began operating in Poland.

PSE: this is a preventive action

Experts emphasize that the announcement of activation periods should be treated as a preventive measure, not a sign of an impending energy crisis. The operator’s goal is to maintain an adequate level of reserves and ensure the safe operation of the national power system even during periods of exceptionally high load.

Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne manage Poland’s highest‑voltage transmission network, covering more than 14,000 kilometres of lines and over 100 substations. The company is responsible for balancing electricity production and consumption and maintaining continuity of supply across the country.