Electricity Coordinating Center

What Electricity Coordinating Center does

Electricity Coordinating Center (EKC) is a Belgrade-based, privately held engineering consultancy founded in 1993 that has provided power-system consulting services since 1997 through its Studies and Consulting Department. The firm delivers strategic and technical consulting, engineering studies, and professional training primarily to transmission system operators (TSOs), power utilities, government ministries, and international organizations such as the World Bank and USAID across South-East Europe, broader Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Service lines span transmission and distribution planning, renewable energy integration, power generation and pumped-storage techno-economic assessments, electricity market analysis, power quality, and power-system monitoring and control.

EKC's technical platform rests on proprietary, ENTSO-E-recommended software tools — MERLIN (UCTE/PSS/E data conversion used by more than half of European TSOs), MaCSim (day-ahead market coupling simulation), BETSEE (Southeast European inter-TSO balancing platform), TNA (transmission network analysis used by ENTSO-E, ACER, TSCNET), and TPC Tool — alongside deep expertise in third-party simulation suites including PLEXOS, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PSS/E, and Antares. The firm also maintains regional transmission system models for South-East Europe through the SECI Transmission System Planning Project.

Commercially, EKC operates a project-based, enterprise-field-sales model: engagements are won through direct procurement and competitive bidding with TSOs, utilities, ministries, and consortia, supplemented by recurring revenue from proprietary software licensing, upgrades, and support. Revenue is generated across three streams — technical consultancy services, software licenses and tools, and education/training — with the firm participating as a consortium partner in multiple EU Horizon 2020 research programs (TRINITY, FlexPlan, OSMOSE, FutureFlow) that double as both R&D funding and pipeline-generation vehicles. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is scoped per engagement.

Name

Electricity Coordinating Center

Legal name

Electricity Coordinating Center Ltd.

Website

https://ekc-ltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Electricity Coordinating Center (EKC) is a Belgrade-based engineering consultancy delivering power-system analysis, electricity market simulation, and proprietary software tools (MERLIN, MaCSim, BETSEE, TNA) to transmission system operators, utilities, and international organizations across SEE, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrade

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Technical Consultancy Services: Consulting services provided to electric power systems, transmission and distribution systems, power generation and electricity markets. Services include power system analysis, feasibility studies, connection studies, and technical due diligence. Delivered as project-based engagements to TSOs, utilities, and government bodies.
2. Software Licenses and Tools: Proprietary software products including MERLIN, MaCSim, BETSEE, and TNA provided to transmission system operators, regulatory bodies, and consulting companies. Includes software licenses, upgrades, and support services.
3. Education and Training: Professional training services on power system analysis software tools, grid integration, and electricity market operations. Training delivered to operational, planning, and R&D personnel of TSOs and utilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Electricity Coordinating Center (EKC) provides strategic business and technical consultancy, engineering services, and proprietary software for power system analysis, transmission and distribution planning, electricity market simulation, and renewable energy integration. Its service portfolio covers feasibility studies, connection studies, grid modeling, market coupling analysis, and training for Transmission System Operators, utilities, ministries, and international organizations. The company also develops and licenses proprietary software tools including MERLIN, MaCSim, BETSEE, and TNA.

Product overview

Electricity Coordinating Center (EKC) provides a portfolio of specialized power system software tools and consulting services for the electricity industry. The core software products include: BETSEE (Balance Energy Tool for Southeast Europe) for inter-TSO balancing market operations; MaCSim (Market Coupling Simulator) for day-ahead European price coupling simulation; MERLIN for format conversion between UCTE and PSS/E data formats; TNA (Transmission Network Analyzer) for transmission network analysis; and TPC Tool for additional power system analysis. EKC also developed specialized tools under EU research projects including FlexPlan's grid planning methodology and TRINITY's T-SENTINEL TOOLSET and T-MARKET FRAMEWORK. Beyond software, EKC offers comprehensive consulting services spanning transmission/distribution systems, renewable energy integration, electricity market analysis, power quality, system monitoring, and professional education/training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BETSEE: Balance Energy Tool for Southeast Europe - Web-based platform for Southeast European inter-TSO balancing market, used as prototype for Regional Balancing Mechanism development.
• MaCSim
• MERLIN
• TNA

Products and services

• MERLIN Conversion and merging utility software that enables bidirectional data conversion between UCTE data format and PSS/E raw format, supporting multiple format versions. Recommended by ENTSO-E and widely used by more than half of European TSOs for data exchange preparation.
• Balance Energy Tool for Southeast Europe (BETSEE) Web-based platform for the Southeast European inter-TSO balancing market, functioning as a prototype for Regional Balancing Mechanism development. Enables administration of intra-day electricity trading offers for inter-TSO balancing purposes with continuous trading principles and ATC-based constraint modeling.
• Market Coupling Simulator (MaCSim) Web-based software for simulation of day-ahead European price coupling in both NTC-based and Flow-based Market Coupling forms. Integrates electricity markets across different areas on day-ahead level, allocates cross-border capacity implicitly, and supports hourly and block order representations.
• Transmission Network Analyzer (TNA) Software tool for transmission network analysis including power flow decomposition functions (PFC, FLD) and CGMES node-breaker model building capabilities. Used by ENTSO-E, ACER, TSCNET, and various European TSOs for capacity calculation and compliance analysis.
• Transmission and Distribution Systems Consulting Consultancy services for transmission and distribution system planning, analysis, and engineering, including power system studies, feasibility studies, connection studies, and technical due diligence. Delivered to TSOs, utilities, and government bodies.
• Renewable Energy Integration Consulting Consultancy for integration of variable renewable energy into power systems, including VRE grid integration studies, balancing requirements assessment, and pumped storage feasibility for grid flexibility.
• Electricity Market Analysis Consulting Market optimization studies using PLEXOS software for portfolio optimization, balancing market analysis, wholesale price forecasting, market dispatch, and unit commitment studies. Covers portfolio optimization for hydro and pumped storage generation, balancing market participation, and renewable energy integration studies.
• Power System Monitoring and Control Consulting Services related to power system monitoring, control systems, and grid compliance testing, including power system restoration plans, HVDC analysis, short-circuit calculations, and power quality studies.
• Education and Training Programs Professional training programs on power system analysis software tools (PSS/E, DIgSILENT PowerFactory), grid integration topics, and electricity market operations. Includes Power System Analysis Basic, Advanced Analyses, and Market Analyses courses delivered to operational, planning, and R&D personnel of TSOs and utilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Second best smart grid project worldwide - ISGAN Award of Excellence 2020 for FutureFlow project
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• TRINITY Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019H2020 project with 19 partners from 11 countries including 6 TSOs, 5 NEMOs, and 1 Regional Security Coordinator. EKC serves as Technical Manager and WP4 leader, developing T-SENTINEL TOOLSET and T-MARKET FRAMEWORK software solutions.
• Schneider Electric DMScoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing technology partnership for software development and integration. Collaborated on TNA (Transmission Network Analyzer) software upgrades, CGMES model development, and capacity calculation software. Joint consortium partner in multiple European market coupling and transmission planning projects.
• OSMOSE Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2020 project with 32 consortium members led by RTE (France). EKC participates in WP1 and WP6 providing power system modeling, Antares simulations, and FlexEnergy dispatch market design services.
• FlexPlan Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2020 project establishing new grid planning methodology and innovative grid planning tool considering storage and flexibility resources. EKC participated as consortium member providing regional analysis capabilities.
• FutureFlow Project ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerH2020 project on cross-border balancing markets with active prosumers participation. EKC served as Work Package leader for cross-border FRR electricity balancing market integration concept. Project won ISGAN Award of Excellence 2020.
• SECI - Southeast European Cooperation InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEKC serves as model integrator for SECI Transmission System Planning Project, coordinating regional power system modeling among 11+ countries. Manages International Study Task Group (ISTG) with experts from all participating TSOs and EIHP Zagreb.
• ENTSO-E (European Network of Transmission System Operators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEKC's MERLIN software is recommended by ENTSO-E Secretariat and used by multiple European TSOs. Active participation in ENTSO-E working groups and mid-term adequacy forecasts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Consentec: Consentec is a German energy and grid consulting firm advising on transmission planning, market design, and regulatory issues across Europe; highly comparable to EKC as a focused energy consultancy serving European TSOs and regulators.
• RTE International: RTE International is the consulting subsidiary of French TSO RTE, exporting power system expertise in transmission planning, market coupling, and grid integration to TSOs worldwide; directly comparable to EKC's TSO-focused consulting offering with similar technical depth.
• Artelys: Artelys is a French optimization and energy consulting firm specializing in power system modeling, market simulation, and grid integration analytics - a close direct peer to EKC in scope, with overlapping use of PLEXOS and complementary proprietary tools.

Broad incumbents

• DNV: DNV provides independent energy advisory, grid integration studies, and power system certification services to utilities and TSOs; competes with EKC in European transmission advisory but operates at much greater scale across multiple sectors.
• AFRY: AFRY (formerly ÅF and Pöyry) is a large Nordic engineering and advisory firm with a strong energy practice covering transmission planning, market design, and renewable integration consulting - directly comparable to EKC's consulting services but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Tractebel (ENGIE): Tractebel is the engineering consulting arm of ENGIE, offering transmission, distribution, and energy market advisory services to utilities and TSOs globally; comparable to EKC in service scope but with vastly greater headcount and an integrated offering across the energy value chain.
• DIgSILENT: DIgSILENT is a German vendor of PowerFactory power system simulation software widely used by European TSOs and in EKC's own training programs; comparable as a power system analysis software and services provider, though DIgSILENT is primarily a software vendor while EKC is a consultancy.
• Hitachi Energy: Hitachi Energy (formerly Hitachi ABB Power Grids) supplies grid hardware and provides consulting and digital solutions for transmission system planning and market operations; comparable in addressing TSO needs for transmission analysis and grid integration, though at much larger scale and as a hardware-anchored incumbent.
• Energy Exemplar: Energy Exemplar develops the PLEXOS energy market optimization platform that EKC uses and resells services around; comparable as a power market software player, though Energy Exemplar is the underlying software vendor while EKC delivers consulting on top.

Emerging players

• N-SIDE: N-SIDE is a Belgian optimization consulting firm active in electricity market coupling, balancing, and TSO advisory across Europe; comparable to EKC in market simulation and balancing expertise, with somewhat broader cross-commodity optimization capability.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/electricity-coordinating-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Electricity Coordinating Center