Evaluating information interfaces on the current and future electricity market from a DSO’s perspective – A case study on Vattenfall

Abstract: In the recent years, there has been an intense on going debate regarding a new market model that would significantly transform the information interfaces and the processes on the electricity market. The model in question is called a supplier centric model, which means that the supplier is the customer’s primary contact point. This report examines how a Distribution System Operator (DSO) would be affected by the implementation of the supplier centric model due to the restructuring of information interfaces. The research was conducted as a case study on Vattenfall, but interviews with external actors and a literature review were also conducted in order to get an unbiased view of the market changes. The findings of the research demonstrated that grid related processes and customers to the regional grid require superior technical expertise, which makes these processes disadvantageous to manage in a supplier centric manner. In addition, the report concluded that the implementation of a supplier centric model would increase the credit risk, but the overall economic impact will be neutral long term.