CEZ Romania wants to monitor the system managing the energy grid from Oltenia, especially in order to optimize the operation of the low voltage grid. CEZ wants to obtain real-time data from its networks and to be able to remotely optimize the operations using new data analysis techniques. Therefore, in the current project, CEZ Romania will undertake a field trial regarding the identification of the location of an outage and system restoration, state estimation, load forecasting, quality evolution KPI’s for the distribution service.
Location
Oltenia region, the south-western part of Romania
Local situation
CEZ Romania wants to further engage the integration of the distribution activity in the future Smart grid concept.
The energy system will face the increasing of the number of renewable resources plants. The distribution operator will need a new perspective on the performance of its network in order to optimize its financial operations.
Five pilot areas were established for the performing the real-time data monitoring. These areas include the following: 5 high voltage / medium voltage sub-stations, 100 medium voltage/low voltage secondary substations, 100 km of medium voltage lines (OHL or cables) and around 200 km of low voltage lines (OHL or cables). The areas are characterized with a high density in consumers, whom are especially connected to low voltage grid. They are household consumers, industrial consumer and small consumers of high importance (egg. children's homes, schools, elderly homes, etc.). The pilots will be implemented in 2018 and 2019.
Trial Site set up and what will be done
The evolution of the Romanian energy sector is increasingly focused around the idea of energy as a service. Thus, CEZ Romania aims to ensure maximum reliability, efficiency and optimum control of its grids.
In the project, a set of advanced sensors will be deployed in the grids, the sensors being connected to the service server located at the premises of distribution operator, using available communications networks.
Appropriate control room displays will be connected to the services, displaying the results of the data analysis coming from the sensors.
The main objectives of this field trial are:
- Fault location identification and system restoration in order to reduce the outages duration, the amount of energy that is not distributed and the penalties imposed by the regulatory authority in such cases;
- State estimation which avoids the errors in measurement/ control systems, avoiding also the congestion in the distribution networks;
- Load forecasting which leads to the optimization of grid elements loading, phase balancing in low voltage grid, the overload of transformers, resulting in an energy losses forecast as accurate as possible;
- Quality evolution of energy distribution KPI’s offers a clear view of the network’s status and leads to a decrease of the compensation fees for customers, due to outages.
Martin Zmelik is a graduate of the Management Faculty within the University of Economics in Prague and holds an MBA from the US Business School.
He began his career in CEZ Group in January 2005, when he took over the task of creating and developing the international portfolio of CEZ Group from the position of Director of International Operations.
In February 2010, Martin Zmelik took over the position of COO and Member of the Board within CEZ Romania. During his tenure, the company completed a wind farm in Dobrogea, overhauled a network of small-hydro plants in southwestern Romania, North of Resita, the financial results of CEZ Group in Romania registered record values at Group level (2012), and the portfolio has been strengthened.
Starting July 1st, 2014, Martin Zmelik became Country Manager and Chairman of CEZ Romania, taking the helm of CEZ affairs in Romania.
Question 1: What is the special focus of the SOGNO demonstration site (especially compared to the other sites)?
SOGNO project promotes next generation innovative technologies enabling smart grids, storage and energy system integration with increasing share of renewables sources.
CEZ Romania SA is interested in the shared usage of resources meant to address the growing needs of the DSO’s which should enable it to get a real-time insight of its grid operations. Also, the usage of resources should allow the distribution operator to remotely optimise its operations using new data analysis techniques and the latest 5G-based ICT, and so being able to support a cost-effective and seamless, secure, power distribution to its customers.
SOGNO will combine the application of deep intelligence techniques, visualisation tools, advanced sensors, an advanced power measurement unit and 5G based ICT to provide fine grained visibility and control of both medium voltage and low grids.
Question 2: What are the long-term benefits for your company you expect from being part in the SOGNO project?
Our engagement in this project will reinforce the already set objective, that of transforming the distribution operator into a digitalized, automatized and SMART company that meets the continuously changing needs of the energy consumers in a more flexible way. The main goals are the improvement of network reliability, the reduction of operational costs and the good management of capital expenditures.
The implementation of this project will allow the company to manage resources more efficiently, to improve the network’s performance, becoming more compliant and also to prepare it for future innovation.
We expect that throughout this project, the distribution operator will manage more efficiently the extra demands of clients, by developing a more sustainable, flexible, and affordable method of grid operation.
