The mode of operation of the electrical networks and maintenance has fundamentally changed, given that there are very large variations generated by production in renewable power plants, especially in wind power plants, said Virgiliu Ivan, director of the National Energy Dispatcher (DEN) within Transelectrica.
“There are very large variations generated by the production in renewable power plants, especially in wind. The way of operating the electrical networks, of carrying out maintenance activities, has fundamentally changed. I give an example: in the Dobrogea area, where we have very high wind energy, very large installed capacities, we do the maintenance after the wind, because we have modified our activities according to the wind conditions – and almost any work in the areas with very high renewable energy is carried out with the very careful monitoring of renewable energy production and if the conditions permit. There are many situations in which teams move and, when they arrive at the site, the dispatcher says that there are no conditions, because the production has increased a lot and there are no longer any conditions for withdrawal from operation,” said Virgiliu Ivan, quoted by Agerpres.
He mentioned that the operating, exploiting part has undergone and is undergoing changes, so that the procedures and activities of Transelectrica have changed and are focused on the production of renewable energy.
“We find that the inertia of the system has decreased and will continue to decrease. The main operating parameter of the system, the frequency, could suffer due to the fact that the classical groups, the synchronous generators that have inertia, are taken out of operation with this transition. Here is a area of interest for technicians, who seek to find solutions, methods, so that this main parameter, the frequency, does not have very large variations, can be stabilized in a range close to the nominal frequency in the event of production losses or inputs in the operation of very, very high renewable productions. We find that there is a need for flexibility, for resources to compensate for the variations of renewable energy, there is a need for storage, there is a need for installing batteries for an ever-increasing volume of plants with pumped storage,” added Ivan.
According to him, in the last months it has been reached that, before the dispatch day, in the preparation stage, there is an energy surplus of up to 2,400 MW; more than half, even 60-70% of the programmed energy to be in surplus.
“There are challenges related to the evolution of prices. During lunch hours, when renewable production is very high, when photovoltaic production, respectively that from prosumers, is at very high levels, prices are the lowest, another proof that we need The balancing market, unfortunately, reacted in a way that surprised us all, with extremely, extremely high prices that impacted it greatly, that impacted electricity suppliers, operators, by the fact that we, the operators, also have obligations for the purchase of electricity for citizens,” he explained.
Ivan emphasized that it is very important to have electricity consumption, to attract industrial consumers.
“The basis is the consumers. We have to find the framework through which to attract the industrial consumers, otherwise it will be a permanent struggle and cannibalization. It is a challenging period, the transition to green energy, to the use of green energy more and more. Behind there are many processes, with many activities, procedures, which must keep up with this change,” added Virgiliu Ivan.