Capacity Steering Contract (CSC)

A capacity steering contract (CSC) is an agreement in which a party makes flexible capacity available and deploys it at agreed times or upon request by the grid operator to relieve the electricity grid.

With a CSC, you help prevent congestion by temporarily adjusting your feed-in or off-take when the grid requires it. In return, you receive compensation for both availability and the deployment of flexibility.

How does a CSC work in practice?

You agree with the grid operator on how much flexible capacity you make available. Depending on the type of contract:

• CSC-A: you are called upon when congestion is expected (day-ahead)
• CSC-T: you operate within fixed, pre-agreed time windows

With a CSC, you actively adjust when the grid requires it:

• In case of off-take congestion, you feed in additional electricity (for example via a battery or CHP).
• In case of feed-in congestion, you increase your electricity consumption.

The grid signals. You respond.

Think of a battery that charges or discharges at fixed times, or production that is temporarily adjusted. This keeps the connection net-neutral overall and creates room on the grid.

What makes a CSC unique?

A CSC is about active control rather than limitation. Where other contract types mainly restrict capacity, a CSC uses controllable assets—such as batteries, solar parks, or industrial processes—to actively support the grid.

This means:

• Direct value: you receive compensation for both availability and deployment
• Flexibility: you decide how to steer within your operations
• Predictability (CSC-T): fixed time windows provide clarity
• No structural limitation: you retain your transport capacity outside the agreed moments

New instrument

At the end of 2025, the ACM formally included the CSC in the Electricity Network Code, enabling grid operators to offer and use CSCs. It is expected that by 2026, CSCs will gradually become the standard for formalizing congestion management agreements.

CSCs are not yet subject to mandatory participation requirements for congestion management. This means grid operators are not legally required to apply CSCs, even in congested areas.

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