Participants before the visit to the SAPEI substation
The Med-TSO “HVDC workshop” ran from 21-22nd October 2019 in Rome, Italy, gathering over 50 participants from 14 TSOs from 13 countries. During the two-day event organized by Med-TSO and hosted by TERNA, participants shared valuable knowledge and experiences, strengthening cooperation among TSOs in Association member countries. For two intense days, representatives from all over the Mediterranean region came together to discuss the world’s deepest up-to-date power submarine cable that connects Sardinia and the mainland of Italy. This valuable workshop was part of the Med-TSO’s Mediterranean Project 2, which will run until May 2020 and aims to promote the progressive integration and interconnection of Power Systems and the enhancement of cross-border electricity exchanges in the Mediterranean region. “This is an example of how we intend knowledge sharing to be within the Association: a real exchange of views and experiences aiming at improving knowledge and technical capabilities among our members.” – said Angelo Ferrante (TERNA, Italy), Secretary General of Med-TSO. On the first day, TERNA presented the SAPEI station and its related operations, and explained the process and intricacies of the HVDC cable. An intensive workshop session was held in the morning, giving participants the opportunity to ask questions and share knowledge on the cable. “We brought to the table important aspects of the decision-making process when it comes to building systems. We all have a different points of view and it is very important to share different perspectives.” – said Massimo Marzinotto, Engineering Division at Terna, Italy. In the afternoon, the whole group participated in a visit through the substation, to see the HVDC cable in action in the control room and discuss its inner workings with TERNA engineers and operators. The visit presented a prime opportunity for participants to interact with experts and each other, in order to strengthen regional ties. “Med-TSO was created in order to share experience and today is a good example of knowledge sharing. The engineers could show the other colleagues the entire HVDC substation project.” – explained Modesto Gabrieli Francescato, (TERNA, Italy) Chairman of Med-TSO Technical Committee Planning. On the second day, participants learned valuable insights on the design, stability control and environmental implications of the HVDC cable through an interactive workshop hosted by experts from the TSOs RTE (France) and REE (Spain). Participants gave highly positive feedback on the two-day event for strengthening cooperation and deepening mutual understanding among TSOs in different countries “This event was very important as it covered the evolution of technology. We know that globally it is the alternating current, for the transmission, but there are cases where we are forced to switch to continuous current so we must get to know the technology and studies to truly understand how to do this.” – Mme. Bergad Samia, Connection and Network Access Department at OS, Algeria. For further information, please write to communication@med-tso.com