The synchronous grid of Continental Europe (also known as Continental Synchronous Area; formerly known as the UCTE grid) is the largest wide area synchronous grid, synchronous electrical grid (by connected power) in the world. It is interconnected as a single phase-locked mains frequency electricity grid that supplies over customers in , including most of the European Union. In 2009, of production capacity was connected to the grid, providing approximately of operating reserve margin. The transmission system operators operating this grid formed the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE), now part of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E).
Area
The synchronous grid of Continental Europe covers territory of the ENTSO-E Continental Europe regional group and some neighboring countries not involved in the ENTSO-E. The synchronous grid includes part or all of Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark (western part), France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland as a members of the ENTSO-E Continental Europe regional group. In addition to the ENTSO-E members, the small west electricity island of Ukraine is synchronized with the grid of Continental Europe. Albania is operating the national grid synchronously with the synchronous grid of Continental Europe. The grids of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia are synchronized with the European grid through the Gibraltar AC link and form the South West Mediterranean Block, SWMB. In April 2015, the grid of Turkey was synchronized with the European grid. Although synchronous, some countries operate in a near island mode, with low connectivity to other countries. The European Commission considers high connectivity to be beneficial, and has listed several interconnection projects as Projects of Common Interest. However, the national grids must also be upgraded to handle increased power flows if the values of a free energy market are to be realised in the EU.List of electricity interconnection level
Electrical grid#Interconnectors, Electricity interconnection as percentage (EIL = electricity interconnection level) of installed electricity production capacity in 2014; the EU goal of at least 10% for 2020, and 15% for 2030.COM/2015/082 final: "Achieving the 10% electricity interconnection targetText
pp. 2–5. ''European Commission'', 25 February 2015
Archive
/ref> Alternative formulas for calculating interconnection levels are based on peak load instead of installed capacity. Some border transmission, particularly around the Alps, have both high utilization rate and high price difference, inferring benefit of further transmission.
Interconnections
The National Grid (UK), British grid is not synchronized with the Continental Europe frequency, but it is interconnected using high-voltage direct current (HVDC) via the HVDC Cross-Channel, BritNed, Nemo Link, IFA-2 and North Sea Link, Norway cable links. In 2014, before Nemo Link, IFA-2 and NSN became operational, the United Kingdom's electricity interconnection level was 6%.
The networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland form the ENTSO-E Irish regional group, which is not yet interconnected with the Continental Europe grid, but has DC interconnections with the British network through the HVDC HVDC Moyle, Moyle Interconnector and the East–West Interconnector.
Similarly, the Nordic regional group of ENTSO-E (former NORDEL), composed of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the eastern part of Denmark (Zealand with islands and Bornholm), is not synchronized with the Continental Europe, but has a number of non-synchronous DC connections with the Continental Europe grid. Gotland is not synchronized with the Swedish mainland, as it is connected by HVDC Gotland, HVDC.
The network of ENTSO-E Baltic regional group, composed of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, currently part of the IPS/UPS system, is interconnected with the Nordic grid at an electricity interconnection level of 10% through the HVDC Estlink cables and NordBalt cable, which is functioning since 2015. The Baltics are also connected with the Continental Europe grid through the LitPol Link, Lithuania–Poland interconnection.
The networks of Iceland and Cyprus are not yet interconnected with the other grids. Malta is connected up to 35% via the Malta-Sicily interconnector, commissioned in 2015.
Future extension plans
UCTE/ENTSO-E and the corresponding partner TSO companies are planning the following extensions of the grid and synchronous frequency: # UCTE-Ukraine/Moldova, to disconnect only these networks from the IPS/UPS system and synchronously interconnecting them to the synchronized grid of Central Europe # Tunisia-Libya synchronous connection, that would extend the Continental Europe frequency to Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon (the latter five countries constitute the South East Mediterranean Block, SEMB of the MedRing, Mediterranean Electricity Ring project. high-voltage direct current, HVDC planned projects: # The EuroAsia Interconnector between the Greek, Cypriot, and Israeli via the world's longest submarine power cable. Separately, there is another option concerning Ukraine and Moldova, and the ENTSO-E Baltic regional group – to disconnect only these networks from the IPS/UPS system and synchronously interconnecting them to the synchronized grid of Central Europe. In early 2021 Ukraine announced that it will be disconnecting from Russia and Belarus by the end of 2023 and integrating into the European grid. Further possibilities are extension to the Nordic regional group, the Turkey-Iraq interconnection, and the DESERTEC concept for interconnection with other countries in the Middle East. In the past Armenia and Turkmenistan networks were part of the Soviet unified system, but currently they are connected to the Iran grid.See also
* SuperSmart Grid – proposal for a wide area synchronous grid combining European, IPS/UPS and Middle East networks * Super grid * European super gridReferences
{{ReflistExternal links
ENTSO-E website
Electric power transmission systems in Europe Electric power in the European Union Wide area synchronous grids, Continental Europe