Information on different ancillary services
Svenska kraftnät must have access to different reserves and ancillary services in order to balance and manage disturbances in the power system. This is mainly done by procuring different types of ancillary services from participants on the electricity market.
Overview of the requirements for reserves
Updated January 15th, 2025
(.pdf) (Click on the image above to open a larger pdf.)
* A cleared bid on the capacity market implies a commitment to submit a bid on the energy market.
More detailed information on the requirements is available in Swedish in the BSP agreement and associated regulatory documents
Overview of the requirements for reserves as document (.pdf) Opens in a new window
Ancillary services
Fast Frequency Reserve handles the initially rapid and deep (transient) frequency deviations that can occur in case of low levels of inertia in the Nordic power system.
Frequency Containment Reserve – Normal is an automatic ancillary service that stabilizes the frequency for small changes in consumption or production.
Upward Frequency Containment Reserve – Disturbance is an automatic ancillary service that stabilizes the frequency in the event of a disturbance (upward regulation).
Downward Frequency Containment Reserve – Disturbance is an automatic ancillary service that stabilizes the frequency in the event of a disturbance (downward regulation).
Automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve is an automatically activated ancillary service that restores the frequency to 50 Hz.
Manual Frequency Restoration Reserve is a manual ancillary service that relieves the automatic services and restores the frequency to 50 Hz.
If the bids on the regulation market are not sufficient to manage a disturbance, Svenska kraftnät has the opportunity to activate the Disturbance Reserve in order to achieve balance in the system. The Disturbance Reserve is a remedial action.
The Disturbance Reserve is not the same as the Power Reserve.
Svenska kraftnät’s Disturbance Reserve must be able to activate within 15 minutes to manage a disturbance and to achieve balance in the system.
In situations where available resources for balancing on the market are not sufficient, Svenska kraftnät has the opportunity to activate the Power Reserve.
The Power Reserve is a strategic ancillary service that is specifically procured for situations with power shortages.
The Power Reserve is not the same as the Disturbance Reserve.