DTEK Renewables has completed the additional adjustment of power equipment at its enterprises – reactive power compensation devices (STATCOM). This is the first experience for Ukraine, and DTEK Renewables employees have gained unique expertise in the installation and use of the latest equipment.
In the long term, this will increase the possibility of exporting electricity from Ukraine to the European Union by 730 MW in addition to the existing volume, which will provide additional revenues to the Ukrainian budget and accelerate the country's European integration. Resolving the issue of low-frequency fluctuations in the united energy system (UES) of Ukraine was one of the conditions for synchronizing its power grids with ENTSO-E.
This condition was met through the additional activation of the power oscillation damping (POD) function on STATCOM devices installed at three DTEK Renewables power plants. In the process of the function activating, the company also used innovative software developed jointly by DTEK Renewables specialists and engineers from the equipment manufacturers.
"We understand the importance of improving the reliability of the energy connection between the UES of Ukraine and ENTSO-E. This should also bring economic benefits to Ukraine. That is why the company has invested its own funds in the installation of this innovative equipment, which will help expand Ukraine's export opportunities to ENTSO-E grids," said Oleksandr Selyshchev, CEO of DTEK Renewables. "Additional 730 MW is a great basis for increasing Ukraine's export revenues when it becomes possible to sell such volumes of electricity”.
On September 22, DTEK Renewables received approval of reports on the activation of the POD function on STATCOM devices from NPC Ukrenergo and ENTSO-E. Earlier, Institute of Power Engineering Gdansk Division, Poland, studied the impact of STATCOM devices at DTEK Renewables' power plants and confirmed their positive impact on the possibility of increasing power exports.
The activation of the POD function allows to increase the stability and resilience of the UES of Ukraine and, given the existing electrical infrastructure and interconnectors, to increase the volume of electricity exports/imports without additional significant investments in the new construction of NPC Ukrenergo’s power grids. The export will increase in case of the sufficient energy generation in Ukraine. This will also be preceded by the solution of organizational and technical issues of strengthening integration with ENTSO-E by NPC Ukrenergo and NNEGC Energoatom.
The POD function is unique both for Ukraine and EU countries. First, its performance was tested virtually through mathematical modeling, and then it was implemented and tested at the company's power plants in real conditions.
