Until 31 December 2019, combustion plants being, on 6 January 2011, part of a small isolated system may be exempted from compliance with the emission limit values referred to in Article 30(2) and the rates of desulphurisation referred to in Article 31, where applicable. Until 31 December 2019, the emission limit values set out in the permits of these combustion plants, pursuant in particular to the requirements of Directives 2001/80/EC and 2008/1/EC, shall at least be maintained.

Combustion plants with a total rated thermal input of more than 500 MW firing solid fuels, which were granted the first permit after 1 July 1987, shall comply with the emission limit values for nitrogen oxides set out in Part 1 of Annex V.

Where there are, on the territory of a Member State combustion plants covered by this Chapter that are part of a small isolated system, that Member State shall report to the Commission before 7 January 2013 a list of those combustion plants, the total annual energy consumption of the small isolated system and the amount of energy obtained through interconnection with other systems.