AGCS is the imbalance settlement responsible for transactions and pricing for imbalance energy for the market area East in accordance with the “Federal Act Enacting New Regulations in the Field of Natural Gas” (BGBl 2011 I/107 Art. 1 as amended; Gas Industry Act 2011 – GWG 2011, hereinafter referred to as “GWG”). Pursuant to Section 85 GWG, the operator of the imbalance settlement responsible is also the single clearing entity. The statutory tasks of the imbalance settlement responsible are specified in particular in Section 87 GWG.

The Gas Market Model Ordinance 2020 (BGBl II No. 425/2019 as amended; GMMO-VO 2020, hereinafter GMMO-VO) defines the framework conditions for the balancing system and specifies the following for AGCS:

Section 2 (2) (2) GMMO-VO:

“Single clearing entity” is the company that has been legally appointed as the balance group coordinator for a respective market area in accordance with Section 170a GWG 2011 in conjunction with Section 85 GWG 2011 and performs the balancing tasks of the balance group coordinator in accordance with Section 87 GWG 2011 and performs integrated market area balancing in the market areas East, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg, or, until the date of the legally binding appointment, the existing license holder.

AGCS has been the single clearing entity in the market area East since October 2002. In its function as single clearing entity, AGCS determines imbalance energy quantities for balance groups on the basis of measured values and nominations and settles these quantities with the balance group representatives.
As a central and independent clearing entity, we are responsible for the purchase and delivery of physical balancing energy via the CEGH gas exchange. In addition to the exchange volumes, we organize hourly auctions (24/7 Merit Order List) for physical balancing energy and, if necessary, also carry out power tenders and FLEX-MOL tenders.

From October 1, 2022, AGCS will continue to provide the systems and processes for accounting and settlement within the framework of the balancing model valid until the end of September 2022, in order to carry out subsequent chargings and the 15 2nd clearings that are still open at that time. From October 1, 2022, the new balancing model (merger of market and distribution area) will start, and AGCS will provide the necessary new systems for this new balancing model.  

AGCS not only guarantees efficient and cost-effective processing thanks to the company's unique expertise, but above all neutrality and confidentiality towards all market participants involved, as well as compliance with security and control mechanisms that offer optimal protection for all data processed by AGCS. To meet this requirement, AGCS has been ISO 27001 certified for many years.

Our collaboration with experienced partners from the IT and banking sectors forms the basis for efficient and economical market organization and for the cost-effective fulfillment of our tasks as clearing and settlement agent. Our internal organization and our service providers are based in Vienna.

We have a slim and flexible organization, which ensures that we can perform our tasks as single clearing entity quickly and professionally.
Due to the constantly changing market rules and taking into account the dynamic requirements of market participants, our systems are continuously developed and adapted in line with the latest technical findings.

AGCS and its partners have a unique pool of expertise in gas and electricity clearing, green electricity processing, electricity exchange, and biomethane register. This enables us to provide market participants with the best possible support in meeting the challenges of the liberalized natural gas market.

The AGCS team is always available to market participants as a competent point of contact.