The Client
Ørsted, a global leader in renewable energy, sought to expand its operations by entering the Northern Ireland power market. With a strong history of collaboration and trust in capSpire, Ørsted’s Irish team turned to our expertise to navigate the complex accreditation process and secure its position as a commercial power supplier within an ambitious timeline.
The Assignment
Ørsted’s Irish team engaged capSpire to secure regulatory accreditation in Northern Ireland, a prerequisite for market entry. This accreditation would enable Ørsted to operate as a commercial supplier, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, supporting existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) contracts, and establishing the company’s independent competency in Northern Ireland’s Electricity Market Message Application (EMMA) system. With a rigid and unforgiving approval process, this assignment had to be executed flawlessly within strict time constraints.
“capSpire was a pleasure to work with. The consultants were engaged from start to finish, and took the lead on responsibilities before we even asked them to step in. They were extremely competent, proactive in asking questions, and did not avoid any difficult issues that could have caused delays. Lastly, they were adaptable and interacted with all our teams professionally and with a great demeanor at all times. I look forward to working with capSpire again in the future.”
Laura Flahive, Head of Contract Settlements, Onshore, Ørsted, Ireland
The Challenge
Gaining accreditation in Northern Ireland required a rigorous and highly structured approval process governed by national regulators. Ørsted’s Irish team faced significant challenges:
- A High-Stakes Timeline – The company needed to be fully accredited within just a few months, with no room for error.
- Zero Tolerance for Mistakes – The regulatory process allowed fewer than five minor errors in competency testing – any more would force a complete restart, causing costly delays.
- Complex Regulatory Requirements – The accreditation involved demonstrating mastery of EMMA, submitting critical legal documentation, and undergoing extensive market access testing.
With the risk of errors delaying entry into a valuable new market, Ørsted relied on capSpire’s expertise to de-risk the process and ensure seamless execution.
The Value Delivered
capSpire partnered with Ørsted through the accreditation process, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements while managing the strict timeline. Our approach included:
- Navigating Regulatory Complexities – We interpreted legal documentation, clarified its business impact, and developed comprehensive internal guides to help Ørsted maintain compliance independently.
- Seamless Market Access Testing – capSpire managed all aspects of market access testing, including message validation within the EMMA system, scenario planning, and interactions with market participants.
- Full Regulatory Oversight – We worked closely with external consultants and national regulators, ensuring Ørsted met every milestone without delays.
- Empowering Ørsted’s Team – Beyond accreditation, we provided training to ensure Ørsted’s personnel could operate and manage the EMMA system autonomously, ensuring long-term success in the market.
Leveraging our deep experience in European power markets, regulatory frameworks, and new market entries, capSpire successfully guided Ørsted to full accreditation—on schedule and without errors.
The Impact
By partnering with capSpire, Ørsted’s Irish team achieved:
- Seamless Market Entry – Accredited as a power supplier in Northern Ireland within the required timeframe, unlocking a valuable new market.
- Risk-Free Compliance – Navigated a complex, high-risk regulatory process without errors or delays.
- PPA Contract Support – Continued successful operation of existing Power Purchase Agreements.
- Operational Independence – Equipped the Ørsted team with the knowledge and tools to manage EMMA and regulatory compliance moving forward.
Through expert guidance and execution, capSpire helped Ørsted turn a high-stakes challenge into a strategic win – solidifying its expansion into Northern Ireland’s energy market.
