GRID CONNECTION CODE FOR RENEWABLE

POWER PLANTS (RPPs) CONNECTED TO THE

ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION SYSTEM (TS) OR
THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (DS) IN SOUTH
AFRICA

Target Mchunu and Themba Khoza

Eskom Transmission Division, System Operator
Grid Code Management
Presentation Outline

1. Need for Grid Code Requirements

2. Grid Code Objectives

3. Technical aspects regulated by the RE grid code

4. Monitoring and control

5. Conclusion

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Why Grid Code Requirements?
Example, the challenge of frequency control

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Need for RPP Code -distribution

1. Main issue: going from one way to two way power flow

2. Similar type of standards different aims:

Maintain local stability Voltage as main issue

Ensure power is provided (when needed) in a stable,

reliable manner Reactive and active power

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 Legislation Basis for the Grid Code

Electricity Regulations Act calls for NERSA to:

Issue licenses to:

operate any generation, transmission or
distribution facility;
import or export of electricity;
trading of electricity.

Develop and enforce as license conditions:

Guidelines,
Regulations and
Codes.
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 Grid Code Objectives
The Grid Code establishes reciprocal obligations of Electricity
Supply Industry participants regarding:
Connection and use of the distribution and transmission power systems
Development of the network
Operation of the Interconnected Power System (IPS)

It defines minimum technical requirements (i.e. design capabilities)

for:
Network service providers
Generator proponents
Load customers

It ensures:
Non-discriminatory access to the IPS by both generators and loads
customers
Adherence to minimum technical requirements
System integrity & adequate service delivery
Defined accountabilities
Information availability where its needed
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 Scope: what is regulated by the codes?
Connection process, for example:
Issuing of connection quotes by service providers
Minimum connection network redundancy and related charges
Agreements to be put in place between network service providers and
generators (e.g. connection, operating, Use of System, Ancillary Services etc.) ]

Design requirements (for both generators and network service providers)

Codes specify mandatory minimum requirements (e.g. unit islanding,
protection, voltage control, frequency control, fault ride through, metering
installations etc. )
There are also negotiable requirements, these are contracted on a need basis

Operations and maintenance coordination by the System Operator

Participants are required to cooperate with SO in this process

Dispatch of generation and demand side resources in line with the rules

Information exchange between participants

Tariffs of the network service providers

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RE Technologies Regulated by the Code

Concentrated Solar Power Photovoltaic Wind Energy Facility

Biomass
Biogas
Small Hydro Landfill gas

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 Categories of RE Facilities
Applicability of Grid Code requirements depends on these categories
(i.e. size of the facility and connection voltage)

Sub-Categories Power Range V Connection

A1 0 < x 13.8kVA LV
A2 13.8kVA < x < 100kVA LV
A3 100kVA x < 1MVA LV

B 1MVA x < 20MVA MV & HV

C 20MVA HV

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 Steady state performance

Stay within these limits

52
Sub-Categories Voltage Limits
51

50 MINIMUM OPERATING RANGE

RPPs
FOR
Continuous
operating range A1
Frequency [Hz]

(49.0 Hz to 51.0 Hz)

49
A2 -15% to +10%
48

47 A3
46
0.1
200ms
1
4 6
10
60
100 1000 B 10%
Duration of the incident, Seconds

C 10%
Minimum frequency operating range of a RPP (during
a system frequency disturbance Maximum and minimum operating voltages at POC

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HV/ MV grid code fault ride through
1.2
Area D
1.1
Continuous Operating Range
1.0 0.9 < Un < 1.1
Area A

0.9
Voltage (U) at POC

85%
0.8
[p.u.]

0.7

0.6

0.5 Area B Area C

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.0 0.15 2.0 4.0 20.0

Time [sec]

Not to disconnect from network in the event of network faults

Support with reactive current

After fault clearance not to extract more inductive reactive power than
prior to fault
restore active power production to at least 90% upon clearance of fault

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Active power control / frequency support

Network operator will temporarily limit or disconnect the

Active power

RPP if there is risk of; Control band

Dead band
Pavailable

Droop 1

o Unsafe system operation PDelta

Droop 2 fmax

o Bottlenecks or congestion

o Unintentional islanding
fmin
o Static or dynamic grid instability Pmin
f6

0
o Instability due to frequency increase 47.00 48.00 49.00 50.00 51.00 52.00
Frequency [Hz]
f1 f2 f3 f4 f5

RPP Code provides: Frequency control for primary and

secondary frequency control, plus over frequency control

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 Reactive Power and Voltage
Control Functions
System generating plants to provide static grid support, i.e.
voltage stability, through reactive power
Cos () = 0.975 underexcited to 0.975 overexcited (Cat B)
Cos () = 0.95 underexcited to 0.95 overexcited (Cat C)
Voltage
Active power
Droop 1
Power factor control Q control Umax

Droop 2
Operating point
Operating point Umin

Inductive Capacitive
Inductive Capacitive Q-import Q-export
Q-import Q-export

Reactive power Qmin Qmax Reactive power

MVar and Pf control Voltage control

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 Monitoring and control
Communication is key to smart grid
- SO/ DSO communication
- DSO/ customer

As a minimum RPP Code often ask for:

- Power production at point of connection
P and Q
Voltage
Frequency
Transformer tap position

- Plant Status
Out for maintenance
Out for high wind/fault etc.

- Meteorological Information
Current, past and (possibly) future (forecasts)
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Enforcement and compliance monitoring
Participants are ultimately responsible to ensure that their RE
facilities comply with all applicable codes

black box principle applies whereby compliance is tested at the

connection point

Enforcement :
Enforced by NERSA through licenses
Alternatively through agreements between parties
Parties must demonstrate compliance to applicable code
requirements prior to connection or commercial operation
Submission of information required as per Information Exchange
Code
Compliance monitoring:
This is mainly NERSAs responsibility. However. there is an
implied compliance monitoring role by other participants especially
the System Operator
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 Conclusions
RE code sets out technical framework for integrating renewable
energy into the electricity grid
This ensures industry standardisation, network integrity and non-
discriminatory access to the grid (transmission or distribution)

Intermittence nature of renewables brings about a different challenge

to the power system.

RE code is limited to technical aspects and does not regulate power

purchase agreements (PPAs)

Areas currently under development:

RE Forecasting, RE aggregation, Compliance testing and monitoring,
energy banking etc.

Approved versions of the grid codes are available from

www.nersa.org.za
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Thank you