EDC to launch information hotline in July for those interested in Czech community energy

The Electricity Data Centre (EDC), which will be the main control centre for the operation of community energy in Czechia, will launch a free information hotline for people interested in sharing electricity on 1 July. The hotline, on 800 720 204, will provide information about the principles and operation of community energy. In the coming weeks, EDC also plans to expand its call centre services to include additional communication channels. The centre informed the Czech News Agency (ČTK) today. The Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) is also completing preparations for community energy.

EDC is currently testing the technologies and processes needed to launch the information hotline. For example, it is preparing complete user documentation and guidelines, and checking its knowledge base and customer service procedures ahead of the launch.

According to EDC head Petr Kusý, the hotline will be available to active customers, energy communities, traders and the general public. He stressed, however, that the call centre would not offer commercial advice, such as calculating savings or payback periods, or recommending the number of panels, and so on. „People looking for this kind of information should contact specialist companies,“ Kusý noted.

The ERÚ is also completing preparations for electricity sharing. The regulator has now issued amended price decisions that include a new charge for the operation of non-network infrastructure. The charge also covers the costs of EDC’s activities. The office has also published an amendment to the decree on electricity market rules in the Collection of Laws. The ERÚ Council has also approved a new billing decree.

EDC will provide assessments of electricity sharing between active customers. It will receive metered data from distribution system operators from interval meters. EDC will use these data to assess electricity sharing on a daily basis and provide the results to market operator OTE, distribution system operators and other entities.

The creation of energy communities in Czechia was introduced by last year’s amendment to the Energy Act. Energy communities will be able to share locally generated electricity via the distribution network. The amendment also allows people to share electricity they generate themselves at another point of delivery, for example from a cottage to an apartment.