Evropská komise schválila český kapacitní mechanismus v energetice

On 16 July 2026, the European Commission approved the Czech capacity mechanism for the entire electricity market as the first capacity mechanism authorised under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF), , adopted on 25 June 2025. The decision sets an important precedent for similar measures in other Member States, while the Czech Republic is the first Member State to implement a target capacity mechanism model under this framework.

A capacity mechanism is a tool under which operators of generation facilities, energy storage facilities, or demand response providers commit to keeping their capacity available for periods when electricity shortages may occur. In return for this availability, they receive regular payments and, if activated, are obliged either to deliver the agreed output or to reduce their consumption accordingly. The compensation therefore covers the availability of capacity rather than the electricity actually supplied, supporting resources whose operation would otherwise not be economically viable under normal market conditions. The need for such a mechanism is confirmed by the European Resource Adequacy Assessment (ERAA) 2025, which identified risks to the security of electricity supply in the Czech Republic from 2028 onwards, particularly in connection with the phase-out of coal-fired generation and increasing electrification of consumption.

The Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework constitutes a set of state aid rules applicable until 31 December 2030 and replaces the Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework introduced in response to the energy crisis. It simplifies state aid conditions across five areas: the deployment of renewable energy and low-carbon fuels, temporary electricity price relief for energy-intensive users, industrial decarbonisation, the development of clean technology manufacturing capacity, and the de-risking of private investments. For capacity mechanisms, it establishes a specific state aid regime subject to European Commission approval and compliance with the requirements set out in the annex dedicated to target capacity mechanism models.

The Czech scheme will operate for ten years from July 2026. Individual capacity agreements may be concluded for periods of up to fifteen years, while the first delivery period will run from November 2030 to October 2031. The estimated budget of the scheme ranges from EUR 3.1 billion to EUR 6.2 billion (approximately CZK 75 billion to CZK 150 billion), with the final amount depending on auction outcomes and the actual needs of the electricity system. The capacity mechanism is technology-neutral and includes existing and new generation facilities, energy storage facilities, cross-border capacity, and demand response, under which consumers are compensated for reducing their electricity consumption.

Funding for the capacity mechanism will be provided through the regulated component of the electricity-related service charge, which is determined annually by the Energy Regulatory Office through a pricing decision. The costs will be borne by electricity market participants based on their consumption during periods of the highest electricity prices. The national legislation governing the operation and financing of the capacity mechanism was adopted through an amendment attached to the new Building Act, which was supported by the Economic Committee of the Chamber of Deputies in June 2026.

The European Commission assessed the Czech measure under European Union state aid rules, in particular the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union permitting aid to facilitate the development of certain economic activities, as well as the annex to the Clean Industrial Deal Framework. The Commission concluded that the measure is necessary, appropriate, proportionate, and has only a limited impact on competition and trade between Member States. Participating facilities must comply with EU carbon dioxide emission limits and successfully complete a pre-qualification process based on clear, objective, and non-discriminatory criteria. In view of these emission limits, the participation of coal-fired generation sources in the capacity mechanism is in practice effectively excluded or severely restricted.

Authors:

Vladimír Petráček

Michal Sladký