Electricity is all-present in our lives and it is easy to take for granted. The whole industry that is working behind the scenes to provide us with electricity is usually invisible for us. The electricity industry is transforming and faces many technical and economic challenges. This presentation unveils the basic principles of a part of the industry that figures the most in economic analyses: electricity transmission. The presentation also presents the role of transmission in one of the most serious electricity incidences in the last decade of the electricity grid: the 2003 Italy blackout. In this incident, Italy was first disconnected from the Continental European grid and then experienced a country-wide blackout. Apart from being important to keep the lights on, electricity transmission also plays a crucial role in the realization of the EU Internal Market and in reaching the EU Carbon Reduction targets. The topics I will address: 1. Limits of transmission lines 2. Dispatch (how to “send” electricity over a transmission line) 3. Frequency and stability requirements in transmission 4. The future development of the EU transmission network.

1. Principles of Transmission applied to the EU transmission network Silvester van Koten Jean-Monnet Fellow at the Florence School of Regulation

5. Electricity is an essential part of our lives

6. Power plants

7. Distributors

8. Transmission

9. Huge blackout cripples Italy! September 28 th , 2003

10. Rome’s “white night”

11. Rome’s “white night” 110 trains stopped Thousands of people stuck

13. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:01 “ Cross-border transmission lines” “ Interconnectors” Tree flashover!

14. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:01 Tree flashover!

15. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:01 03:01-03.16

16. 03:11 The Swiss TSO operator asks the Italian TSO for countermeasures

17. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:21 Italy reduces import by -300 MW 03:25 Tree flashover!

18. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:25 Tree flashover!

19. 03:26 All interconnectors are automatically disconnected

22. 1. Transmission lines limits 2. Dispatch 3. Frequency and synchronicity 4. The future of the EU transmission network

24. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:01 Tree flashover! Transmission lines limits

25. 3 risk factors for flashover Factor 1: High voltage Transmission lines limits

27. High voltage Dramatically lowers losses to resistance 1 KV-> 10KV Loss falls to 1% Factor 100 Transmission lines limits

28. 1 KV-> 100KV Loss falls to 0.01% Factor 10.000 Transmission lines limits

29. 3 risk factors for flashover Factor 1: High voltage Factor 2: High load Transmission lines limits

30. Sagging of the line Transmission lines limits

31. 3 risk factors for flashover Factor 1: High voltage Factor 3: Proximity to trees Factor 2: High load Transmission lines limits

32. Clearance: Trees below transmission lines must be kept short enough Transmission lines limits

33. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza After the blackout incident, the Swiss authorities revised their policy of clearance. Transmission lines limits

35. 1. Transmission lines limits 2. Dispatch

36. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:01 Dispatch

37. ? A B Injection: 100MW Injection: 20MW Withdrawal: 50MW Withdrawal: 70MW Net Injection: 50MW Net Withdrawal: 50MW Dispatch

38. Physical flow: 50MW A B Net Injection: 50MW Net Withdrawal: 50MW Dispatch

39. Net Withdrawal: 50MW Physical flow: 50MW A B Net Injection: 50MW ∆ -10MW 40MW ∆ -10MW 40MW ∆ -10MW 40MW Dispatch

40. Physical flow: 40MW A B Net Injection: 40MW Net Withdrawal: 40MW Electricity cannot just be “send” somewhere Any flow is the RESULT of the injection and withdrawals Dispatch

41. 03:11 The Swiss TSO operator asks the Italian TSO for countermeasures

42. Mettlen- Lavorgo Sils-Soazza 03:21 Italy reduces import by -300 MW 03:25 Dispatch

43. 1. Transmission lines limits 2. Dispatch 3. Frequency and synchronicity

44. Frequency and Synchronicity Direct Current (DC) Alternating Current (AC)

45. Frequency and Synchronicity Alternating Current (AC) 50 Hertz

46. Does a lamp in your house receive zero energy 100 times a second and is thus blinking? Raise your hand if you think that this is indeed the case. Frequency and Synchronicity

47. 50 Herz is the frequency in Europe Frequency and Synchronicity

48. A shortage of generation makes the frequency fall Slight shortage Frequency and Synchronicity

49. A surplus of generation makes the frequency rise Slight surplus Frequency and Synchronicity

51. All generators are synchronized UCTE = Continental Synchronous Area

52. UCTE = Continental Synchronous Area

53. 03:26 All interconnectors are automatically disconnected Frequency and Synchronicity

54. Mini circuit breakers Frequency and Synchronicity

55. High voltage circuit breakers Frequency and Synchronicity

56. 1. Transmission lines limits 2. Dispatch 3. Frequency and synchronicity 4. The future of the EU transmission network.

57. 03:26 Interconnectors very high loaded at night! The future of the EU transmission network

59. Internal EU market induces increase in cross-border trading The future of the EU transmission network

60. Greenhouse-effect undisputed The future of the EU transmission network

61. 2020 Targets: 20% decarbonization 2050 Targets: 80% decarbonization The future of the EU transmission network

62. Massive deployment of wind and solar energy The future of the EU transmission network

63. ENTSOE Ten-year network development plan 2015-2020 Increase from 300.000 KM to 340.000KM The future of the EU transmission network Increase of 14%

64. European Climate Foundation Increase of almost 400% The future of the EU transmission network 2050 Increase from 34 GW to 127 GW

68. THANK YOU! Principles of Transmission applied to the EU transmission network Silvester van Koten Jean-Monnet Fellow at EUI, FSR [email_address]