Elmarknadslagen
The Elmarknadslag (Electricity Market Act) is the new Swedish law regulating the electricity market’s function. Together with a companion lag om elektriska ledningar (act on electric lines) it replaces the 1997 ellagen (1997:857) — the most significant structural reform of Swedish electricity law since 1997. It was adopted by the Riksdag on 15 June 2026 (Prop. 2025/26:240, Betänkande 2025/26:NU25) and enters into force 1 January 2027 (the leveransskyldig sistahandsleverantör provisions on 1 July 2027).
The two-law split
The 1997 ellagen is formally repealed and its content divided:
| New law | Content |
|---|---|
| Elmarknadslag | Electricity-market function: transport and delivery of electricity, system responsibility, the balance market, energy sharing, consumer protection |
| Lag om elektriska ledningar | Grid concession (nätkoncession) and electric lines, including lines drawn within road/rail infrastructure |
| Lag om införande av elmarknadslagen | Transitional provisions |
A further ~16 acts that referenced the ellagen are consequentially amended. The split separates the rules for the market from the rules for the physical infrastructure.
Origin and passage
The law derives from the Elmarknadsutredningen (SOU 2025:47, Bo Diczfalusy, April 2025). The government bill was submitted 13 April 2026. Näringsutskottet recommended adoption in full and rejection of all follow-up motions; the chamber concurred on 15 June 2026 — the two laws passed by acclamation, with three reservations voted down. See the source page for the parliamentary detail.
Key changes relevant to flexibility
- EU-aligned terminology and system responsibility. New definitions (överföringssystem, distributionssystem, etc.) are brought into Swedish law. The driftsäkerhet tasks previously held by a systemansvarig myndighet are now expressed as a direct obligation of the holder of the transmission system (Svenska kraftnät) — moving legal responsibility closer to the actual system role. The law also makes explicit that grid companies hold a system responsibility, not merely ownership of lines.
- BRP and BSP written into primary law. The single balansansvarig role is split into balansansvarig part (BRP) and leverantör av balanstjänster (BSP) — codifying in statute the roles that have existed only contractually since 1 May 2024, and aligning with the EU Electricity Balancing Regulation. See Balancing Markets.
- Anvisade elavtal abolished → sistahandsleverantör. The old system of assigned electricity contracts is replaced by a leveransskyldig sistahandsleverantör (supplier of last resort): the supplier with the largest market share in a local-grid area must serve contract-less customers, who may choose freely among its offers. Implements the EU supplier-of-last-resort requirement. In force 1 July 2027.
- Energy sharing (energidelning). New rules implement Art. 15a of the revised Electricity Market Directive (EU 2024/1711), letting a customer credit renewable electricity produced at another property within the same bidding zone. A new organisatör av energidelning role is defined. See Energy Communities.
What it does not resolve
The reform is deliberately structural; several flexibility questions are left open (and were the substance of the rejected motions):
- Independent aggregation / compensation model. The bill codifies the architecture but not the compensation methodology; the government has stated it will not implement Svk’s proposed demand-response compensation model (KN2023/03647). See Independent Aggregation in Sweden — The Implementation Gap.
- Standalone BSP role is still not operational — full BSP/BRP implementation is expected only 2028–2029.
- No statutory energy-community definition — a V/MP reservation seeking one was rejected; Swedish law has energy sharing but no energy community definition.
- Imbalance pricing (obalanspris) reform is handled separately by Svk/Ei — a revised obalanspris can take effect earliest March 2027.
Relationship to Prop. 2025/26:16
The two propositions together complete Sweden’s transposition of Directive 2024/1711:
- Prop. 2025/26:16 (in force 1 Jan 2026): Art. 6a flexible connections, fixed-price contracts, consumer protection, demand-flexibility information.
- Prop. 2025/26:240 → Elmarknadslagen (in force 1 Jan 2027): Art. 15a energy sharing; full structural recast replacing the ellagen.
Related pages
Svenska kraftnät · Balancing Markets · BSP and BRP Roles · Distribution System Operator · Energy Communities · Demand Response · Independent Aggregation in Sweden — The Implementation Gap · Flexibility Need Assessment · Electricity Market Design Reform 2024