The start of the balancing mechanism revolution

The first stages of the Open Balancing Platform (OBP) have gone live, revolutionising the balancing mechanism as we know it. The new cutting edge system will further optimise the operation of the network and enable hundreds of smaller units to receive instructions from the ESO control room via the bulk dispatch of battery storage and small Balancing Mechanism Units (BMUs).

What is the OBP?

The OBP is our new real-time balancing capability set to replace the existing balancing systems (Electricity Balancing System, Balancing Mechanism and Ancillary Services Dispatch Platform) and processes we currently use.

Click below to see a demonstration of how the OBP works.

The benefits

This first stage of the Open Balancing Platform will unlock new levels of precision in our control room, enabling Bulk Dispatch, a new tool that enables our control room engineers to send hundreds of instructions to smaller BMUs and to battery storage sites at the press of a single button, allowing them to play a more active role in balancing the network.

The new system also allows our control room engineers to choose options from a pre-selected and optimised list of units to meet a network requirement. This will greatly reduce the time taken to instruct BMUs and reduce the number of manual instructions required from the control room. The end goal is to drive value for consumers by increasing the optimisation of the network balancing, speeding up the process and reducing costs. 

What’s next for the OBP?

Future stages of the OBP will be delivered across 2024 and 2025 to incorporate a wider range of technologies into the Bulk Dispatch process, as well as transfer existing reserve services from the Ancillary Services Dispatch Platform to the new OBP. 

By 2027 the Open Balancing Platform will grow to replace both the existing Balancing Mechanism (the system used to balance supply and demand second-by-second) and the Ancillary Services Dispatch Platform (the system used to procure the ESO’s operational reserves and contingency resources). 

Keep updated

The OBP is just one part of our balancing programme, established to develop the balancing capabilities we need to deliver reliable and secure system operation, facilitate competition and meet our ambition for net-zero carbon operability. Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates from the programme.