+ RTE informs you about the overhaul of the capacity mechanism

The capacity mechanism aims to ensure the electricity supply in France during peak winter period through the availability of generation capacities & demand response capacities.

The current capacity mechanism in France is due to expire in 2026. The public authorities have then appointed RTE to lead a dialogue with the stakeholders on the design of the future mechanism from 2022.

Operating principles of the new capacity mechanism

The principles below are not final, as consultation is still ongoing.
The new capacity mechanism will be based on the following principles: 

•  RTE will contract the capacity volume (in MW) necessary to ensure the electricity supply in France for each delivery period (PL). This delivery period will cover an electric winter that extends over two calendar years (November to March).
• This contractualization will take place after auctions to select the required capacities at the best price for the community. There will be two auctions when the new capacity mechanism is fully operational: the first in the years preceding the delivery period and the second in the months preceding the delivery period. For the capacities selected in the auctions, the capacity operators will contractually commit to the availability of these capacities during peak period of the delivery period in return for a payment by RTE (this payment will be made after verification of the capacities’ availability during the delivery period). Availability commitments may be exchanged between capacity operators on a secondary market.
• The contractualization’s cost of the capacity volume will be passed on to suppliers (and end-consumers purchasing electricity directly on the wholesale market) by means of a tax levied by RTE. The amount of this tax will be proportional to the consumption of each supplier (or end-consumer purchasing electricity directly on the wholesale market) during peak period of the delivery period.

The current AOLT system will be integrated into the new capacity mechanism through the multiannual contractualization of capacities over several delivery periods.

Participants of the new capacity mechanism

The same participants of the current capacity mechanism will participate in the new capacity mechanism, i.e. capacity operators, suppliers and system operators, but in different ways.

The former roles of Certified Entity Holder and Capacity Portfolio Manager will be merged into one: Certification perimeter holder (TPC), who will be accountable to RTE for the availability commitments on its perimeter. The TPC either operates the sites on its perimeter or has a delegation from third-party operators to operate their sites on the capacity mechanism.

In order to participate in the new capacity mechanism, the TPC must sign a Participation agreement (AP) with RTE, which will be valid for the entire duration of the new capacity mechanism.

If you wish to become TPC in the new capacity mechanism, RTE provides you with the Formulaire de demande de conclusion d’un accord de participation au mécanisme de capacité en qualité de titulaire de périmètre de certification (cf. the Contractual documents section). We encourage you to return this form duly completed and signed with all the mandatory documents to the following email address: rte-mecanismecapacite@rte-france.com. Thanks to these elements we will be able to generate your AP and send it back to you for signature from October 2025.

Suppliers will no longer have to hold capacity guarantees but will be subject to a tax calculated on the consumption of their customer portfolio (in the case of suppliers) or on their direct consumption (in the case of end-consumer purchasing electricity directly on the wholesale market) during peak period of the delivery period.

Each system operator will be responsible to certify the capacities on its service area (RTE for the capacities connected to the public transmission network and the foreign capacities, the DSOs for the capacities, connected to the public distribution network) during the certification period. 

The operational actions taken by DSOs for capacity certification will be carried out via the GIPSE portal. DSOs who already have access to GIPSE will be able to perform these actions directly without taking any further action. As with the other market mechanisms managed by RTE, it will be possible to set up a mandate for another DSO to perform these actions on your behalf.

• If you have already set up a mandate in favour of another DSO on GIPSE, it will automatically be extended to cover the new capacity mechanism. However, if you do not wish to extend your existing mandate and carry out the certification procedures for the new capacity mechanism yourself, please email RTE at rte-mecanismecapacite@rte-france.com before the 3rd of November 2025.
• If you have not already set up a mandate in favour of another DSO on GIPSE for one of the market mechanisms managed by RTE, you can request a provisional mandate for the new capacity mechanism by sending the completed Déclaration provisoire de mandat entre un GRD et un tiers pour le transfert de données entre GRD et RTE to RTE at rte-mecanismecapacite@rte-france.com before the 3rd of November 2025. This provisional mandate must be confirmed by signing a definitive mandate once the Rules for the new capacity mechanism have come into force.

Reminder: the mandate is unique for the management of all market mechanisms operated via GIPSE. Therefore, it is not possible for a DSO to appoint multiple mandatories.

Target planning

The principles below are not final, as consultation is still ongoing. The planning of PL auctions after 26/27 is provisional: their positioning is not fixed (and will not be written into the rules. It may change depending on feedback from the first auction(s) and the participants’ wishes.

Once the new capacity mechanism is fully operational, 2 auctions will be held before each delivery period (PL).

• Auction 1 is the main auction. Its purpose is to compare all the bids to contract most of the capacity volume required to ensure the electricity supply.
• Auction 2 is the balancing auction. Its purpose is to increase demand if necessary (in the event of an anticipated deterioration in security of supply). This auction also offers a dedicated volume for decarbonised flexibility that cannot participate in auction 1, 4 years before the delivery period.

Any capacity wishing to participate in an auction must be certified prior to the auction. Applications for certification must be submitted by the TPC during the certification gate!

Transitional planning

The principles below are not final, as consultation is still ongoing. The planning of PL auctions after 26/27 is provisional: their positioning is not fixed (and will not be written into the rules. It may change depending on feedback from the first auction(s) and the participants’ wishes.

When the new capacity mechanism is launched, it will not be possible to run auctions 4 years before the delivery period. Therefore, adaptations will be made to the nominal auction system: 2026-2027 / 2027-2028 / 2028-2029 / 2029-2030 PLs, a single auction system will be introduced.

This single auction will combine the characteristics of auctions 1 and 2 (as described above): all the bids will be compared to contract the entire capacity volume required to ensure the electricity supply, while ensuring a dedicated volume for decarbonised flexibility.

Preparing for the operational implementation of the new capacity mechanism

In parallel to finalizing the design, RTE has started preparing the operational implementation of the new capacity mechanism to ensure continuity between the current and the future capacity mechanism in 2026.
This preparation is based on Technical workshops (AT), the aim of which is to provide operational information on tools, processes and implementation timetables. Stakeholders can contact RTE to be included in future ATs (held in French).

GIPSE user tests

The GIPSE portal has been selected as the tool for capacity certification in the new mechanism. GIPSE provides both TPCs and DSOs with a data exchange portal with RTE, as well as a centralised tool for monitoring Certification entities (EDC).

Between the 13th and 24th of October 2025, GIPSE will be open to TPCs and DSOs wishing to use it in a test environment. This will enable you to familiarise yourself with the tool as it will be deployed in 2026, and test the operational steps required to certify capacities in the new mechanism.

To take part in the tests, please register by following the link below NO LATER THAN the 19th of September 2025.

GIPSE user tests registration link

Find out more

Pursuant to Article L. 141-7 of the French Energy Code, the French reliability standard is set by the Minister in charge of energy on a proposal from the CRE (French energy regulator). It represents the level of security of supply accepted by the community and is therefore used as a reference for the dimensioning of the power system through RTE’s adequacy studies and the “Bilan prévisionnel” multiannual adequacy study published each year by RTE.
The reliability standard is a key parameter of the French capacity mechanism, as it determines the capacity volume necessary to ensure the electricity supply in France: the capacity mechanism is therefore inherently designed to ensure that this standard is met.

• Article L.141-7 du code de l’énergie
• Article D. 141-12-6 du code de l’énergie
• Arrêté du 5 aout 2022 relatif au critère de sécurité d’approvisionnement électrique mentionné à l’article L.141-7 du code de l’énergie

Contractual documents (in French)

• Formulaire de demande de conclusion d’un accord de participation au mécanisme de capacité en qualité de titulaire de périmètre de certification
• Déclaration de la qualité de TPC en tant qu'exploitant des sites
• Mandat de délégation de l’exploitant au TPC pour la certification de sites d’injection

• Déclaration sur l'honneur pour les sites d'injection disposant d'une puissance souscrite inférieure ou égale à 36 kVA

• Mandat de délégation de l'acheteur obligé au TPC pour la certification de sites d'injection sous obligation d'achat

• Mandat de délégation de l’exploitant au TPC pour la certification de sites de soutirage
• Déclaration sur l'honneur pour les sites de soutirage disposant d'une puissance souscrite inférieure ou égale à 36kVA
• Déclaration provisoire de mandat entre un GRD et un tiers pour le transfert de données entre GRD et RTE

Pedagogical documents (in French)

• Information sheets TPC (update 01/09/2025)
• Frequently asked questions (update 01/09/2025)

Access the Information System

In order to access RTE’s market applications, you need a PKI digital certificate. The page Access the RTE Information System - RTE Services Portal explains how to request a PKI digital certificate.

• Link to GIPSE
• Technical guide GIPSE – in French (update 01/08/2025)

• Link to RMC – to upload a file
• Link to RMC – to download a file
• Technical guide RMC

You can access all of RTE’s market applications from the page Accessing market applications - RTE Services Portal.

Contact

Your sales representative is at your disposal for any additional information on the capacity mechanism.
For any technical aspect regarding the operational implementation of the new capacity mechanism you can contact RTE on the following email addresses:

• rte-nouveaumecapa-reglementaire@rte-france.com – for every technical question and request for registration to the ATs
•  rte-nouveaumecapa-si@rte-france.com – for every IT question (access to RTE information system, file format …)

Additional information

Link to the information page for the current capacity mechanism: Participate in the capacity mechanism - RTE Services Portal