External Account (EPS)

For each BGV, which:

• imports or exports Gas,
• injects or withdraws gas from gas storages,
• purchases gas from gas producers,

“EPS accounts” are set up by AGCS. On these accounts gas volumes which exceed the borders of the balance area OST are booked as schedules as well as metering values.
On these accounts deviations emerging from gas volumes exceeding the border of the balance area are also shown. Balancing energy on EPS accounts is mainly caused by deviations emerging from inaccurate metering.
In contrast to that schedules are compared to actual consumption data on the balance groups; balancing energy is here caused by forecast errors.

For instance imports are carried out via „EPS accounts“: The import schedule is booked on the debit side of the EPS account and the corresponding metering value is booked on the credit side – import schedules are compared to actual metering values, while the calculated differences per time unit (hour) equal balancing energy which is then charged with the owner of the “EPS accounts”.

“EPS accounts“ are also called either external balance groups or external accounts. The abbreviation “EPS” stands for “gas trader (importer/exporter), producer, storage operator”, which means those companies whose gas volumes exceed the border of the balance area.