The electricity system in Sicily is considered to be of peculiar interest due to multiple existing and future factors, such as: significant increase in the renewable generation fleet, expected in the years to come; need for reinforcement of the High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) transmission grid; future placement—by 2030—in Sicily of terminal stations of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) connections with Sardinia, Campania and Tunisia.
In this context, network studies have been launched and completed—in collaboration with the University of Palermo—with the aim of investigating the effects of 2030, 2035 and 2040 scenarios with high penetration of generation from renewable energy sources (RES) in Sicily and analyzing the impact of HVDC connections assumed to be in operation by 2030.

After introducing the context of the Sicilian power system and energy scenarios for 2030, 2035,and 2040, this report describes the analyses and results of Load Flow (LF) studies on Sicily’s grid in the medium to long term.

The results of the network analyses show that in the 2030 and 2035 scenarios, the Sicilian power system is generally able to cope even with critical situations—in terms of congestion and voltage levels—with the expected reinforcements. The HVDC corridors from Sicily to other areas make a key contribution to exporting excess generation at times of greatest difference between the power generated, on the one hand, and that required by loads and storage systems, on the other.

The results for 2040, with a scenario of additional massive presence of RES generators, show a grid situation that, in the absence of reinforcements, is unable to cope with peaks in generation from RES at certain times. Various solutions are proposed and will be the subject of further analysis and investigation.