Synchronous effect of cold spell and outages of particular generation units during the January 2017 led to critical network situation in Western and South-East Europe countries. After this experience, the need for a better coordination between TSOs, RCCs and ENTSO-E, in the case of potential critical grid situations, was recognized. ENTSO-E formed dedicated team in order to analyse operation of transmission system and electricity market during the mentioned critical situation, to define and introduce the term CGS and to adopt regional procedures that would be applied during CGS.

Following mentioned ENTSO-E team’s request, engineers of SCC and Serbian TSO EMS AD proposed Procedure for Critical Grid Situations in SEE region. It is foreseen that this Procedure applies to all TSOs of SEE region as well as to neighbouring TSOs and RCCs. This Procedure is approved in September 2017. Procedure defines business process, the ways for potential CGS detection in SEE region and coordination process.

The idea of a common CGS procedure for the SEE region was supported by SEleNe, SCC and SEE TSOs. SEE CGS Working Group was established in February 2025 to revise and update the 2017 Procedure and ensure it remains up to date.

CGS process is officially active but on standby until triggering by TSO or RCC. Since CGSs are not frequent in SEE region, Procedure is tested twice a year by simulating its triggering and all subsequent coordination steps in order to maintain the Procedure alive and active. SEleNe CC and SCC conduct and coordinate testing activities on a rotational basis, in cooperation with all SEE TSOs, including neighboringTSOs. For the time being, there was no Procedure activation in real life.