The activities described in this report conclude those planned for the evaluation of Network Development Plans, conducted over the three-year project by RSE.
With reference to ARERA’s request for independent model-based external verification of some selected operations from Terna’s 2018 Development Plan, the results of new technical-economic analyses on the national system are presented. These analyses have broader objectives compared to previous years, which were limited to simulating energy markets; aspects related to dispatching service markets have now been addressed. The calculation tools previously available at RSE have been reviewed and updated to test new functionalities developed.
The studies conducted focused on the HVDC connections Campania/Sicily/Sardinia (Tyrrhenian Link) and the 380 kV power lines in Sicily (Chiaramonte Gulfi/Ciminna and Assoro/Sorgente 2/Villafranca). The results of the analyses did not lead to an overall and definitive conclusion regarding the findings published in Terna’s 2018 Development Plan due to limitations in data details and available approaches. However, the work carried out highlighted various specific aspects of the evaluations and tested the methodology for analyzing benefits, verifying the validity of many assumptions commonly adopted both nationally by Terna and in Europe by ENTSO-E.
Further activities included analyses of the technical-economic impact of new interconnections relevant to Italy, conducted on European-scale energy markets. Specifically, the benefits by 2030 of integrating the Italian HVDC corridors Campania/Sicily/Sardinia (Tyrrhenian Link) and Central-South/Central-North (Adriatic Link) and the HVDC interconnection between Sicily and Tunisia (ELMED) into the pan-European system, represented by a zonal model, were evaluated. Compared to the previous year’s activity, this model was updated and extended to parts of the North African system.
The analyses were conducted on Sustainable Transition 2030 (ENTSO-E TYNDP 2018) and National Trends 2030 (ENTSO-E TYNDP 2020) scenarios using the “with & without” methodology, employing simulation programs developed at RSE (sMTSIM, RUC, NewREMARK+).