People interested in sharing electricity in Czechia can register as centre launches system

People interested in sharing electricity can register with the Electricity Data Centre (EDC) from today. This marks the start of community energy in Czechia. Representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the EDC told journalists. The centre said it launched the system today in a mode that already allows people to register and share electricity. Full operation, which will also include electricity storage and aggregation services, is planned for mid-2026.

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 through the distribution grid. The amendment also allows people to share electricity they generate themselves at another delivery point, for example from a holiday cottage to an apartment.

Households, local authorities and businesses will be able to participate in community energy under two arrangements. The simpler active customer arrangement will allow electricity to be shared between up to 11 delivery points across Czechia. Another option is energy communities, which can include up to 1,000 delivery points in a contiguous area covering the administrative districts of no more than three municipalities with extended powers, or in Prague. A general requirement for sharing will be the installation of smart meters at all consumption points, which distributors will provide free of charge.

„The EDC Rules were formally approved this morning. With their adoption, the EDC was able to begin operating and can accept applications from people interested in sharing electricity,“ said Stanislav Trávníček, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Office Council.

The system went live at 08:00 today, and after two hours of operation the centre had received around 300 applications.

Applicants must register on the www.edc-cr.cz portal. „We will notify applicants about signing a contract by sending them a message no later than 20 days after receiving their application. We have accommodated comments made during the approval of the EDC Rules and shortened this period from the originally proposed 30 days to a maximum of 20 days,“ EDC head Petr Kusý said today.

While preparing its main IT system, the centre also set up communication channels for applicants in recent weeks, as well as video tutorials and manuals. „Since the beginning of July, our call centre on 800 720 204 has handled more than 1,000 calls. Operators have spent more than 80 hours explaining all the details,“ Kusý noted.

The EDC is currently operating under a so-called temporary solution, which allows electricity to be shared as part of community energy among active customers, electricity generators and energy communities.

Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela (STAN) noted that the government is now preparing another amendment to the Energy Act, which introduces rules for energy storage, aggregation and flexibility. „Together with the expansion of the EDC’s functions, this will offer further opportunities in the second half of 2026 to make even more effective use of renewable energy sources. Storage and flexibility will enable people and businesses to manage their consumption better,“ the minister said.