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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_UKPN0027
Title	LoadShare
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given UK Power Networks
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 September 2017
End Date	01 January 2020
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£2,418,081
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_UKPN0027
Objectives	This project will design and deploy new business processes and power electronic technology to equalise the impedance between the two substations to balance the power flow, resulting in unlocking capacity available on the existing network without the need of re-conductoring. The project will aim to do this faster than conventional approaches and to develop a project strategy that can be scaled across the country. Smart network solutions will be adopted for this project which includes the use of modular power flow control using SmartWires two newly developed innovative technology devices called Powerline Guardians and Power Guardians. These devices in combination will be deployed to the 132kV distribution network on the PJ route between Bramford GSP to Lawford Grid substations. PowerLine Guardian is designed to be clamped onto the overhead conductors without the need to acquire any land or do any civil works. Power Guardian is a ground mounted device which can be installed within the substation and controlled remotely on how much impedance to be added to the circuit and does require civil works. Early studies show approximately 1.8 ohms of reactance is required to balance the impedance on the circuit which can be achieved by installing the innovative technologies in combination which can optimise the power flow on the grid in real time, balancing the impedance and is expected to release approximately 19 MW of additional capacity without reinforcement. The two newly developed SmartWire devices have the ability to control power flow in modular fashion using the technology which has not been proven on a GB distribution network before. In order to balance the impedance of circuits and maximise the utilisation of circuits between Lawford Grid and Bramford GSP substations, a pre-requisite is to increase the running temperature of PJ route to 70 degrees (This work will not attract innovation funding). This will be done as part of business as usual activity. Following this work, a NIA funded trial of two innovative technologies PowerLine Guardian and Power Guardian will be trialled in combination on the PJ route. The combination of these technologies has not been previously utilised in Great Britain before. By adding the ability to balance flows on parallel paths, UK Power Networks can leverage the additional physical capacity delivered by balancing the power flow across the group of three 132kV Overhead lines between Bramford and Lawford grid. Without the ability to balance the networks, transfer capacity remains constrained by the most overloaded element even if there is spare capacity available on parallel paths. The pre-requisite work of raising the temperature of the circuit to run at 70 degrees will be required before installing Power Guardian and PowerLine Guardian devices which is outside the scope of this project. This will be done as part of business as usual activity and will increase the capacity of only the PJ route. Unfortunately the impedance variation will simply attract the same overload condition on the PJ in the coming years, thus the need to trial innovative solutions to balance power flows in 132kV overhead line networks. The scope of this project is as follows: Detailed curtailment studies to confirm the actual reactance required on PJ route of Bramford GSP to Lawford Grid substations; Add approximately 1.8 ohms (to be confirmed following detailed studies) onto PJ route of Bramford to Lawford 132kV Grid substation. This will include: o Install PowerLine Guardian units on PJ route;o Install Power Guardian units onto PJ route at Lawford Grid substation. This includes carrying out civils and foundation works at Lawford Grid substation to support the equipment; Commissioning of the modular power flow control solution and integration of the units within UK Power Networks control system; Testing of the control modes for the SmartWire solution to balance impedance on the circuit; Unlock additional capacity on PJ route by adding SmartWire solutions in combination; and Publish a paper on the work undertaken to share the knowledge with GB DNOs (via ENA or other forums). The aims of the project are: • Resolve existing system constraints between Bramford GSP and Lawford Grid substations;• Utilise the underutilised circuits by controlling power flows and avoid the need for reinforcement;• Create network capacity for new generation or demand customers through more efficient utilisation of existing assets; • Trial various communication and control modes for the SmartWire solutions. This will include the observation of benefits of being able to dynamically control the power flow on the circuits with little or no control centre action;• Increase ability for UK Power Networks to address system constraints quickly and meet short term network needs;• Increase the infrastructure planners toolbox of deployable smart solutions before traditional methods are deployed; and• Publish a paper on the work undertaken to share the knowledge generated from the use of Power Guardian and PowerLine Guardian devices on the network (via ENA or other forum).
Abstract	The pre-requisite work of raising the temperature of the circuit to run at 70 degrees will be required before installing Power Guardian and PowerLine Guardian devices which is outside the scope of this project. This will be done as part of business as usual activity and will increase the capacity of only the PJ route. Unfortunately the impedance variation will simply attract the same overload condition on the PJ in the coming years, thus the need to trial innovative solutions to balance power flows in 132kV overhead line networks. The scope of this project is as follows: Detailed curtailment studies to confirm the actual reactance required on PJ route of Bramford GSP to Lawford Grid substations; Add approximately 1.8 ohms (to be confirmed following detailed studies) onto PJ route of Bramford to Lawford 132kV Grid substation. This will include: o Install PowerLine Guardian units on PJ route;o Install Power Guardian units onto PJ route at Lawford Grid substation. This includes carrying out civils and foundation works at Lawford Grid substation to support the equipment; Commissioning of the modular power flow control solution and integration of the units within UK Power Networks control system; Testing of the control modes for the SmartWire solution to balance impedance on the circuit; Unlock additional capacity on PJ route by adding SmartWire solutions in combination; and Publish a paper on the work undertaken to share the knowledge with GB DNOs (via ENA or other forums).
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	26/10/22