The Electricity Grid Scottish Power Energy Networks Overview
Energy Technology Partnership Conference Dundee, April 2014
Presented by Kevin Smith, Scottish Power - Future Networks Lead Engineer Where did SP Energy Networks originate from?
14 x Electricity ‘Boards’ Who provided a full range of electricity services:- • Distribution Networks • Electricity connections • Electricity sales • Metering • Shops for appliances and payments • Wiring and domestic appliance repair • Income from ‘electricity bill’ The Distribution Network Operators scene today
7 x Network Operators • 180+ ICP’s • 18+ Energy Suppliers* • 23+ Meter Operators* • 00’s appliance retailers • 000’s Meter card outlets • 0000’s Electrical contractors • Who repairs appliances these days? • Income from DUoS
Innovation Distribution Allowances Licenses
Incentives Customer Mechanisms Standards
Price Controls * Some are separate divisions within DNO parent company Group What do SP Energy Networks do?
• Look after the distribution network for South of Scotland, Merseyside and North Wales • 3.5million customers (2m in SPD and 1.5m in SPM) • Network value >£10billion • 40,000km of overhead lines • 70,000km of underground cables • 30,000 electricity substations • 4,000km of Transmission OHL and 320kM of cable connecting 129 Grid or SuperGrid Substations What are the present challenges for SPEN?
Changing Extreme Bi- Aging Integration Ageing Assets Energy Weather Directional Workforce/ of New Markets Events Networks Skills Gap Technology
Increased Economic Embedded Growth Generation
Smart Metering/ Fuel Poverty/ Demand Control Affordability
Energy Efficiency Competition
Intermittent Political Generation Uncertainty
Community Energy Owned Energy Equity Systems Sustainability Accessibility
Transparency Balance of Risk Reliability Present challenges for SPEN
Changing Extreme Bi- Aging Integration Ageing Assets Energy Weather Directional Workforce/ of New Markets Events Networks Skills Gap Technology
Increased Economic Embedded Growth Generation
Smart Metering/ Fuel Poverty/ Demand Control Affordability
Energy Efficiency Competition
Intermittent Political Generation Uncertainty
Community Energy Owned Energy Equity Systems Sustainability Accessibility
Transparency Balance of Risk Reliability Ageing Assets
Over the period 2015-2023 we are allocating £2.62bn to managing our ageing network, such as: 180,000 network faults. Inspecting and maintaining 30,000 substations, 70,000km cables and 40,000km of overhead lines 3.5million asset inspections. Clearing trees away from 5000km of overhead lines (storm resilience). Maintaining around 900,000 items of network equipment. Replacing 30 Grid substations Replacing 84 Primary substations Extending the life of 84 Primary substations Replacing more than 2,500 Secondary substations Replacing more than 250,000 services inside customers homes & buildings. Making 25% of our HV network and 32% of our LV network resilient to storms
SPD Equipment SPM Equipment
Number Customers supplied by % Older % Older Number Customers supplied by % Older % Older / Length each than 40 than 50 / Length each than 40 than 50 years years years years Grid Substations 83 Around 23,000 35 15 110 Between 16,000 - 160,000 54 21 Primary Substations 500 Between 2,000 and 50 20 700 Between 2,000 - 11,000 33 6 11,000 Secondary Substations 17,500 Between 50 and 300 19 5 12,800 Between 50 and 300 61 18 In addition to these assets, we have approx. 20,000km of overhead lines, components of which 50% are older than 40 years. Present challenges for SPEN
Changing Extreme Bi- Aging Integration Ageing Assets Energy Weather Directional Workforce/ of New Markets Events Networks Skills Gap Technology
Increased Economic Embedded Growth Generation
Smart Metering/ Fuel Poverty/ Demand Control Affordability
Energy Efficiency Competition
Intermittent Political Generation Uncertainty
Community Energy Owned Energy Equity Systems Sustainability Accessibility
Transparency Balance of Risk Reliability Extreme weather events
• When the “once in every 100 years event” occurs just a few years after the last one! • Automated protection and supply restoration systems Daily Post North Wales weather: 45,000 • Remote control of network switching and reconfiguration homes without power after • Reducing numbers of customers affected for a fault storm force winds batter • Managing trees near overhead lines region • Substation flood risk analysis and mitigation • Emergency plans in place Present challenges for SPEN
Changing Extreme Bi- Aging Integration Ageing Assets Energy Weather Directional Workforce/ of New Markets Events Networks Skills Gap Technology
Increased Economic Embedded Growth Generation
Smart Metering/ Fuel Poverty/ Demand Control Affordability
Energy Efficiency Competition
Intermittent Political Generation Uncertainty
Community Energy Owned Energy Equity Systems Sustainability Accessibility
Transparency Balance of Risk Reliability Increased Embedded Generation
• The distribution network was designed for power flowing from the power station to the customer • Substantial rise in renewables take up • Embedded generation can cause local voltage rises • Embedded generation is often intermittent/unreliable • Distribution network has to cope with power flows in the ‘reverse’ direction = protection, asset capability and fault situation issues
(DECC 2013) Present challenges for SPEN
Changing Extreme Bi- Aging Integration Ageing Assets Energy Weather Directional Workforce/ of New Markets Events Networks Skills Gap Technology
Increased Economic Embedded Growth Generation
Smart Metering/ Fuel Poverty/ Demand Control Affordability
Energy Efficiency Competition
Intermittent Political Generation Uncertainty
Community Energy Owned Energy Equity Systems Sustainability Accessibility
Transparency Balance of Risk Reliability Competition
• Two main areas where competition has been introduced; Connections and Distribution Network ownership • 180+ Independent Connection Providers (ICP’s) – providing customer connections • 6 licensed Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNO’s) – owning and operating embedded networks • Obligation on DNO’s of Guaranteed Service standards
What about the future network challenges?
• Increasing demand on electricity networks through; Consumer thirst for gadgets and appliances Up take of electric vehicles Up take of low carbon heating, e.g. heat pumps More renewable generation power to transfer • Increasing expectation of electricity availability • More complex networks (Smart grids) and integration of technology with high volumes of network data • Cost pressures against rising energy prices (on DUoS) • Smart-Metering
(DECC 2013) Reliable grids – alternative designs
Industry SP Manweb Typical Typical 33/11kV 33/11kV 12/24MVA 7.5MVA
33/11kV 33/11kV 7.5MVA 7.5MVA
Open Point
GB Industry average 65 interruptions per 100 customers p.a. SPM Urban network 13 interruptions per 100 customers p.a. Network Innovation
• Major boost from Low Carbon Network Funding (LCNF) • Maximising the utilisation of existing network assets • Using technology developments to manage the network better • Some areas of SPEN innovation development; Real Time Thermal Rating of apparatus (OHL’s and Transformers) Intelligent Network Automation Active Load and Voltage Network Management Voltage optimisation LV automatic fault restoration End of the presentation
But the start of a new era?