RTE R&D challenges and

activities

Realistic Data for challenging problems: an internal TSO R&D perceptive

GRID DATA Kick-off meeting, DENVER

March 2016

Patrick Panciatici Scientific Advisor

RTE is the French transmission system operator.

RTE owns and operates the largest electricity grid in Europe:

– 100 000 km of EHV and HV lines (from 400 kV to 63 kV)

– 2600 substations

– Peak load served > 100 GW (60+ million inhabitants)

– 8500 staff

Financial figures

– Turnover: 4 593 M€ (2015)

– Annual Investment: 1 402 M€ (2015)

Missions

– Asset management

– Electricity flows management

– Grid Access management

RTE overview RTE OVERVIEW

► Key Figures: – 130 people + PhD & master students

– External contracts

~ 25 M€ per year regulated incomes

~ 1.5 M€ per year European and national collaborative projects

► Significant part of the activities = Development of

methods and tools to support decision making processes. – For system operation, market operation, grid maintenance and

grid development .

► We are the successors of people like J. Carpentier (first

formulation of ACOPF, 1962) at that time in EDF and we are

modestly following their footprints ….

RTE: Research and Development activities

► Challenging Problems Context

Increasing complexity

Advanced optimization methods

► Realistic modeling Use cases

Some modeling issues

► Realistic Data

►Conclusion

RTE overview OUTLINE

►Some people said that large power systems are the

most complex industrial systems built by humankind.

► The energy transition (wind/solar generation:

intermittent and possibly dispersed) and low public

acceptance of Overhead Power Lines increasing even

more this complexity

► More Volatility + Less “Copper/Iron/Concrete”

Intelligent solutions based on ICT and software

►Advanced methods and tools to support the decision

making processes Optimization problems

RTE overview CHALLENGING PROBLEMS: Context

Increasing Complexity

6

Stochastic complexity: weather conditions and

human behaviors

►Problems: find “optimal” decisions for system

operation, market operation, grid maintenance and grid

expansion.

► Definition of an acceptable risk is a prerequisite and

look head approaches are mandatory.

►Different types of very challenging optimization

problems, not only “market clearing/unit commitment”

Risk based “optimal” preventive actions taking into

account contingencies, uncertainties and “automatic”

corrective actions (post fault)

RTE overview CHALLENGING OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

► Advanced optimization methods to solve all these

challenging problems. Example: Convex relaxations of ACOPF

ACOPF : Core of many other more complex optimization problems

without global solution or at least good lower bounds for this internal

ACOPF, impossible to prove that we can find a feasible solution for the

upper level problems.

• Mixed integer non linear optimization, “branch& bound”: relaxation of integer

variables ACOPF

• Chance constrained programming based on sampling & discarding Multi

ACOPFs

► Research teams propose new methods but we need to

define relevant use cases with associated realistic

modeling and realistic data in order to evaluate them

RTE overview Advanced Optimization methods

► Find the “optimal” topology : statuses of breakers

► Find the “optimal” taps of Phase Shifting Transformers

►Find the “optimal” active power flow set point for HVDC links embedded in

AC grid (DC in // with AC)

► Find the optimal setting of “automatic” corrective controls (RAS,SPS,…)

► MVAR planning: when, where, how much capacitor/reactors banks?

► Outage management, Grid expansion planning, ….

We need a realistic modeling for all the required devices

and processes …..

RTE overview EXAMPLE OF “EXOTIC” USE CASES

► Generator Capability Curve ("D curve") or (P,Q,V) 3D domain

► Node-Breaker modeling for Bus merging/splitting

► Phase Shifting Transformers: for some types reactance depends on tap position

► HVDC links: Reactive/voltage modeling (LCC VSC)

► Capacitors/Reactors banks (large banks)

► SVC, STATCOM, Series Compensation ….

► “Automatic” corrective actions: RAS, SPS, ..

If {some condition} then {action} …

►Open issues: Dynamic Line Rating

Modeling of active Distribution grids for Transmission grid studies

Simple and efficient format required: CIM is perhaps not the right

solution for a computational platform and MATPOWER format seems too poor

RTE overview Some Modeling Issues

► The size of the grid (number of buses/branches) is not the only

important parameter.

► Proposed methods must be robust to real life numerical values:

typically reactance values from 1 to 1000

► if Actual Grid Data are confidential, we believe that it possible to

change and to anonymize them while keeping the same range of

values (same pdf) and complexity

RTE had already provided large realistic European test

cases in MATPOWER and will provide more in this initiative

RTE overview Realistic Data

RTE overview Conclusion

►Very challenging optimization problems ►Research teams propose new methods

►Need to define relevant use cases with

associated realistic modeling and realistic

data in order to evaluate them RTE supports and participates to the GRID

DATA Project

+ THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

www.rte-france.com