Balancing Market Dashboard

European Balancing Platforms deliver major rise in social welfare gains

Following the integration of balancing energy markets, economic surplus across the continent has climbed sharply. Market integration delivered over EUR 1.9 billion in social welfare gains in 2025. With more TSOs joining both PICASSO and MARI, TSOs expect further gains in social welfare in the coming years.

The social welfare impact indicator measures the economic benefits arising from balancing energy activation by comparing coupled and decoupled market results. It captures BSP surplus, TSO savings or surplus, and TSO congestion income. Reported yearly at platform level, the indicator highlights how regional integration enhances market efficiency across Europe.

Data used for this performance indicator was gathered from the Balancing Energy Platforms.

Balancing energy flows reflect evolving needs across Europe

While European platforms show aggregated trends, TSO-level data highlight local differences in balancing energy activation. These variations reflect national system conditions, resource availability, and product-specific characteristics, showing where local operational factors continue to influence balancing actions despite increasing market integration.

This yearly activated volume of balancing energy provides an overview of how much energy has been used for balancing purposes across Europe. It is broken down per TSO, and per product type and direction (GWh). This allows for a clear understanding of how balancing needs differ across regions and how energy flows are managed to maintain system stability.

Data used for this performance indicator was gathered from the Transparency Platform.

Market integration drives noticeable changes in balancing prices

Balancing service prices continue to evolve, with European platform prices becoming more aligned as cross-border activation increases. This indicates that market integration is helping deliver more consistent price formation for standard products.

TSO data, however, still reveal differences influenced by national system conditions and product structures. Capacity procurement prices also change moderately over time, reflecting evolving flexibility needs and resource availability.

This indicator tracks the evolution of annual average balancing service prices across Europe, covering both balancing energy and capacity. It shows weighted average prices on European platforms for standard products, as well as specific products. By including capacity procurement prices, the graph provides a clear, comprehensive view of how balancing service prices have progressed over recent years.

Data used for this performance indicator was gathered from the Balancing Energy Platforms.