To achieve the decarbonisation goals, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) requires strong growth in distributed generation and a push for the electrification of consumption (e.g., heat pumps, electric vehicles). These new users will be mainly connected to electricity distribution networks, which may not have sufficient capacity to accommodate the increase in connected power. It will therefore be necessary to strengthen the networks both with traditional development interventions (reinforcement of lines, etc.) and with the adoption of advanced control systems from a Smart Grid perspective. The objective of the activities described in this report is to develop simplified planning methodologies for medium-voltage distribution networks in order to rapidly conduct quantitative analyses of possible future scenarios. In particular, these methodologies aim at quantifying the investment needed to strengthen the networks as connected loads and generators increase, and comparing them with the benefits of advanced control systems. Due to the lack of some information (e.g., geographical coordinates of the nodes) and the high number of networks to be processed, the planning procedures are based on some simplified assumptions that allow us to reduce the data required for the analyses and speed up data processing, thus allowing us to carry out multiple sensitivity analyses.

These methodologies are incorporated into the SARA (Active Network Analysis Tool) platform, which facilitates their application to artificial networks used to represent the Italian scenario. The report describes in detail the planning methodologies developed, which are then applied to some significant examples of the evolution of the national energy system. The results of these preliminary analyses show that significant investment will be necessary to strengthen the distribution network in order to connect the new loads and generators. The investment can be reduced by adopting advanced control systems

that make use of the distributor’s assets and the power modulation of generators. Finally, the report provides information on the characteristics of the new users (heat pumps, photovoltaic generators, etc.), which will allow us to describe future scenarios at the provincial level, thus making more detailed analyses possible.