France's gas and electricity regulator, la Commission de la Regulation de l'Energie (CRE), is working on plans to develop a balancing system for the national gas market in a similar vein to that existing in the power market.
Platts reports that the CRE has released a public consultation document on the issue with responses expected by the middle of June 2006. Under the plans, the gas network operator will enter the intraday trading market to ‘balance’ the supply of gas on the market, something that does not currently occur.
The first phase of the regulator’s plans is likely to be implemented by the end of the year, the CRE says.