The National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (NEURC) has approved a draft resolution "On Approving Amendments to the Distribution System Code" aimed at expanding the possibilities for the operation of organized energy islands.

"Under conditions of ongoing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure… there is a need to expand the possibilities for organizing energy islands, as well as cases of their separation from the Unified Energy System (UES) of Ukraine," the regulator said in its justification for the draft resolution approved at a meeting on Tuesday.

As explained by the commission, the current Distribution System Code allows an energy island to be separated from Ukraine's Unified Energy System only by order of the distribution system operator (DSO) in the event of emergency situations in the power system.

At the same time, the proposed amendments to the Code expand the list of options for separating energy islands, in particular during emergency operating modes in the distribution system, the application of emergency consumer disconnection schedules, as well as emergency electricity consumption reduction systems.

In addition, the document clarifies the procedure for interaction between the DSO's operational personnel and participants of the energy island.

"This option will ensure more flexible operation of generating units, especially during local blackouts that, unfortunately, occur in our system after shelling," NEURC said.

The draft resolution has the characteristics of a regulatory act and will therefore be published on NEURC's official website to collect comments and proposals.

According to the proposed amendments to the Distribution System Code, an organized energy island is an electrical network of a DSO or part thereof, with connected user electrical installations and generating facilities of producers/equipment of the guaranteed buyer operator, which can be separated from Ukraine's UES using automation systems and/or operational switching for operation in isolated (island) mode.