Who is responsible for which part of the grid?
One household in the street buys its electricity from a green supplier in another city, its neighbour from the local utility.
Both get their power through the same cable, from the same transformer.
The questionIf the supplier does not own the cable, who does what?
Names differ by country; the separation of roles is common across the EU.
Rules for the grid operator
EU law requires Member States to make connecting charge points to the distribution grid easier, and requires distribution operators to cooperate on a non-discriminatory basis with any company that builds or runs charge points. Distribution operators themselves may, in principle, not own or operate charge points, except private ones for their own use.
Room for small devices
RED III asks Member States to let small and mobile systems, such as home batteries and electric cars, take part in the electricity markets, including congestion management, flexibility and balancing services, also through . A car that charges flexibly can, in principle, become part of the market.
Check your understanding
3 questions. Answer all of them to complete this stop. Each answer explains itself.
Who runs the cables and the transformer in a residential street?
Distribution operators run medium- and low-voltage grids; suppliers sell energy over them.
What does EU law say about grid operators and public charge points?
Article 33 of the Electricity Directive: non-discriminatory cooperation, and in principle no own charge points.
What does an aggregator do?
Single cars or home batteries are too small for the market alone; aggregated, they can offer flexibility.
- Aggregator A company that pools many small devices, such as cars and home batteries, so they can take part in electricity markets. Glossary
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/944 on common rules for the internal market for electricity, Articles 11 and 33. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/944/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/944 on common rules for the internal market for electricity, Articles 11 and 33. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/944/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III), Article 20a inserted into Directive (EU) 2018/2001. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/2413/oj. Checked 09 Oct 2026. © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.