PICASSO (aFRR balancing energy platform)

PICASSO (Platform for the International Coordination of Automated Frequency Restoration and Stable System Operation) is the European platform for the cross-border exchange of aFRR balancing energy. It is implemented under Article 21 of the Electricity Balancing Guideline (Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2195) and operated by ENTSO-E member TSOs.

The 4-second cycle

At the heart of PICASSO is the Activation Optimisation Function (AOF), which clears the cross-border aFRR merit order every 4 seconds, producing a marginal cross-zonal price per direction. Each cycle considers all connected TSOs' aFRR demand, all available bids, and remaining cross-zonal capacity. Settlement aggregates the 4-second prices into 15-minute Market Time Units.

Estonia connected 9 April 2025

Elering joined PICASSO on 9 April 2025, ahead of aFRR capacity being added to the joint Baltic Balancing Capacity Market (BBCM) on 15 April 2025 and the opening of the EE–FI border for aFRR energy on 16 April 2025. Other operationally connected members include Germany, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Lithuania and France. Estonia's national gateway is operated by Elering; BSPs submit aFRR bids to Elering, which forwards them onto the platform.

Energy not capacity

PICASSO is a balancing-energy platform — the cross-border activation marketplace, not the capacity-procurement market. aFRR capacity in the Baltics is procured through the BBCM. The mFRR equivalent of PICASSO is MARI; the imbalance-netting equivalent is IGCC.

Sources

ENTSO-E: PICASSO · EBGL Article 21 · Elering: joining PICASSO 9 April 2025