How Many Electricity Distribution Companies (EDCs) are there in Europe? How many customers do they have? The report of Eurelectric gives answers to these and many other questions. The document was presented at a Conference of the EDC operators, members of Eurelectric, in Brussels on 28 November 2013.
Power Distribution in Europe – Facts & Figures” presents quantitative data gathered from all the states, members of Eurelectric in order to outline the picture of the business in Europe. The Distribution System Operators are the backbone of the European energy system – they are “the final mile” in the delivery of electricity to the customers. Highlighting their business and the challenges they face, is crucial for the leaders, determining the policy, to realize their importance for the future decentralized and low carbon energy systems, as well as to guarantee appropriate regulation for the performance of their functions.
The report presents facts & figures in four main areas: 1) electricity distribution business – key characteristics (number and sized of the companies, owners’ structure etc.); 2) towards smart distribution systems (number of the electric vehicles charging points, smart meters importance etc.); 3) quality of supply; 4) distribution network characteristics (length of the power lines per voltage levels, line density etc.).
The report points out that the electricity distribution in Europe is diverse, but highly reliable. There are 2 400 electricity distribution companies in Europe. They serve 260 million customers, 99% of which are residential customers and small business. They operate over 10 million kilometers of power lines – 97% of the European power network. The number and size of EDC varies significantly across European countries. For historical reasons some countries have only one electricity distribution company and others a large number – several hundred occasionally. As electricity distribution in Europe is a national business (within a state), the ownership of the companies varies from state owned, trough public to entirely private entities (different forms of public-private partnerships are also observed).
In all Member States EDCs operate the LV and MV electricity network. Except 6 EU Member States, EDCs also operate the HV network. Their customers enjoy very high levels of quality of service. The interruptions per year range from about 15 minutes to 400 minutes. Continuity of supply indicators are included in the regulatory formula of the electricity distribution companies.
However, EDCs are facing an increasing challenge of integrating rising shares of decentralized and variable generation and new types of customers with unconventional load profiles, such as electric vehicles.
Considerable investments in distribution networks, including smart grids and smart meters, will be needed to maintain the high quality of service and to allow the EDCs to perform their function of neutral facilitators to the future smart energy systems. Mandatory roll-out of smart meters for more than 80% of the customers by 2020 is already decided in 14 European countries. In all others, there is also progress achieved on behalf of the EDCs, based on individual targets or obligations for partial replacement of old meters. At large, EDCs will be entirely responsible for carrying out this process in 16 out of the 28 European countries.
