According to § 23 Abs 1 ElWOG 2010 1a resp. according to § 30 Abs 1 ElWiG 2011, the area covered by the transmission network of VUEN forms a control area. This area comprises the area of Vorarlberg (excluding the Kleinwalsertal region) and part of the neighbouring Southwest Allgäu.

Up until December 31 2011, the control area was part of the German control block. As of January 1 2012, the Austrian Power Grid (APG) and VUEN have negotiated a cooperation regarding the operation of the control areas.

The pooling of the control areas of APG and VUEN in the form of a joint operation through the APG according to  § 23 ElWOG 2010, resp. according to § 30 Abs 4 ElWiG 2011, is an essential element of this cooperation.

The following fundamental changes result from this as of January 1 2012:

– The control area of VUEN was excluded from the control block Germany and was integrated into the control block Austria.

– The control areas of APG and VUEN were pooled to one control area under the management of APG. The name and the identification of the joint control area are in accordance with the existing control area APG. In practice, this means that the control block Austria was extended by the current control area of VUEN.

– As of January 1 2012, the power supply of costomers is only carried out by balance groups and providers registered in the control area APG.

The APCS – Power Clearing and Settlement AG is responsible for the coordination of the balance groups.

With this cooperation and the accompanying integration of the control and market areas the interests of the network customers and of the Austrian electricity industry are taken adequately into account at optimal costs.