A toolbox in support of a more secure pan-European electricity system
The project ITESLA (Innovative tools for electrical system security within large areas) was launched with the vision of offering the first toolbox that performs dynamic electricity security assessments while also accounting for uncertainties such as those arising from intermittent power generation. Initially, the team worked on algorithms and techniques for the analyses, including an approach to filtering the most dangerous contingencies, and laid the groundwork for offline analyses development. This set the base for improved security rules. ITESLA advanced a toolbox that enables transmission system operators (TSOs) to conduct accurate simulations of their systems, coordinated regional systems and the entire pan-European system, supporting the decision-making process from two-days ahead to real time. It took up three main challenges, the first being provision of a risk-based assessment that considers different sources of uncertainties. The second was to perform an accurate security assessment that also accounts for the system's dynamics using time-domain simulations. The final challenge was providing operators with recommendations for curative actions to maintain the system's secure state. Other project deliverables included methodologies and tools for validating dynamic models of the pan-European system's components. The tools were designed to determine model parameters using measured dynamic responses of the grid. Additionally, the team advanced new concepts for building more robust defence plans and optimal restoration plans with the help of automated tools. The iTesla platform is available through GitHub. Project partners distribute the computation modules as commercial products or open source software. Both the RaPId software for model validation and iTesla Power System Library of power system component models are open source. The latter can be used and enriched by TSOs and across the power systems community. The ITESLA toolbox promises increased electricity security and support for optimising the use of intermittent renewable sources and grid assets. Improved coordination procedures and regulations will also facilitate the reliable operation of a pan-European electricity transmission network. In general, project developments offer major contributions to energy efficiency and overall EU energy sector initiatives.
Keywords
Electricity, energy market, ITESLA, security assessments, transmission system operators
