Use of Power Flow Controllers to Enhance Transmission Network Utilisation on the Irish Transmission Network

TL;DR

This paper investigates how power flow controllers can be used to improve the utilization of Ireland's transmission network amid increasing renewable integration and demand, by relieving overloads and enhancing transfer capacity.

Contribution

It introduces a novel application of power flow controllers within Ireland’s transmission system to address network constraints and improve efficiency.

Findings

Power flow controllers effectively relieve system overloads.

Deployment of PFCs increases transfer capacity.

Enhanced network utilization observed in case studies.

Abstract

The Ireland and Northern Ireland power system is in a period of rapid transition from conventional generation to renewable generation and has seen a rapid increase in large demand sites requiring connection into the backbone transmission system. The role of EirGrid and SONI as Transmission System Operator in Ireland and Northern Ireland is to operate, maintain and develop the electricity transmission network. EirGrid ensures that new transmission projects are developed in a way that balances technical, economic, community and other stakeholder considerations. This has resulted in much more detailed evaluation of planning options to maximize utilisation of the existing network which may include but are not limited to uprating the capacity of the existing transmission system mainly through the thermal or voltage uprate of existing circuits. Another method to increase network utilisation is to strategically deploy Power Flow Control devices to relieve system overloads and maximise network transfer capacities. EirGrid has developed a new grid development strategy that places particular emphasis on identifying technologies to help resolve network issues. This paper presents the study findings for the application of a power flow controller (PFC) to relieve system issues.