FantasticSearch

1. Each transmission, storage or LNG system operator for natural gas shall:

(a) operate, maintain, develop or decommission under economic conditions secure, reliable and efficient transmission, storage or LNG facilities for natural gas to secure an open market, with due regard to the environment and the climate and the obligations laid down in Regulation (EU) 2024/1787, and ensure adequate means to meet its service obligations;

(b) not discriminate between system users or classes of system users, specifically in favour of its related undertakings;

(c) provide to any other transmission system operator, any other natural gas storage system operator, any other LNG system operator or any distribution system operator sufficient information to ensure that the transport and storage of natural gas may take place in a manner compatible with the secure and efficient operation of the interconnected system;

(d) provide system users with the information they need for efficient access to the system.

2. Each transmission system operator shall build sufficient cross-border capacity to integrate European transmission infrastructure accommodating all economically reasonable and technically feasible demands for capacity and taking into account security of gas supply.

3. Transmission system operators shall cooperate with distribution system operators to ensure the effective participation of market participants connected to the grid in retail, wholesale and balancing markets.

4. Transmission system operators shall ensure efficient gas quality management in their facilities in line with applicable gas quality standards.

5. Rules adopted by transmission system operators for balancing the gas transmission system shall be objective, transparent and non-discriminatory, including rules for the charging of system users of their networks for energy imbalance. Terms and conditions, including rules and tariffs, for the provision of such services by transmission system operators shall be established pursuant to a methodology compatible with Article 78(7) in a non-discriminatory and cost-reflective manner and shall be published.

6. Member States or, where Member States have so provided, the regulatory authorities may require transmission system operators to comply with minimum standards for the maintenance and development of the transmission system, including interconnection capacity.

7. Member States may provide that one or several tasks listed in paragraph 1 of this Article are assigned to a transmission system operator other than the one which owns the transmission system to which the responsibilities concerned would otherwise be applicable. The transmission system operator to which the tasks are assigned shall be certified under the ownership unbundling, the independent system operator or the independent transmission operator model and fulfil the requirements provided for in Article 60, but shall not be required to own the transmission system it is responsible for.

8. A transmission system operator which owns the transmission system shall fulfil the requirements provided for in Chapter IX and be certified in accordance with Article 71. This shall be without prejudice to the possibility for transmission system operators which are certified under the ownership unbundling, the independent system operator or the independent transmission operator model to delegate, on their own initiative and under their supervision, certain tasks to other transmission system operators which are certified under the ownership unbundling, the independent system operator or the independent transmission operator model, where the delegation of tasks does not endanger the effective and independent decision-making rights of the delegating transmission system operator.

9. LNG, transmission and natural gas storage system operators shall cooperate, within a Member State and regionally, to ensure the most efficient use of facilities’ capacities and of synergies between those facilities, taking into account system integrity and operation and avoiding creating constraints in operating LNG and natural gas storage facilities.

10. Transmission system operators shall procure the energy they use for the carrying out of their functions in accordance with transparent, non-discriminatory and market-based procedures.