Controls and Automation

Interconnected operation trialled for Itaipu, Acaray and Yacyretá hydro plants

Interconnected operation trialled for Itaipu, Acaray and Yacyretá hydro plants

Professionals from Itaipu Binacional, the National Electricity Administration (ANDE) and the Yacyretá Binational Entity (EBY) carried out a second test of the interconnected operation of the Paraguayan system, SIN-PY, with the Argentine and Uruguayan systems, SADI and UTE respectively, resulting in parallel operation of the Itaipu, Acaray and Yacyretá hydro plants.

The 14-GW Itaipu plant, on the Parana River, is shared between Brazil and Paraguay. The 200-MW Acaray plant is on the Acaray River in Paraguay and the 3.2-GW Yacyreta facility is on the Parana River between Argentina and Paraguay.

The interconnected operation of these three hydropower projects is essential to optimize the use of hydroelectric energy by Paraguay, through permanent synchronized operation between the three plants, according to BNamericas.

One of the main benefits of the interconnected operation is the possibility of transferring loads between the plants without interrupting the electricity supply, as is currently the case with separate operation between the Itaipu and Yacyretá plants, thus improving the reliability and quality of the service.

The main purpose of this second test was to evaluate the performance during the interconnected operation of the 50 Hz Generation Automatic Control applications (CAG50) and Automatic Voltage Control 50 Hz (CAT50), both from Itaipu’s SCADA/emergency management system.

“Voltage variation tests were carried out on the 500 kV bars of the ITAIPU 50 Hz Substation, exchange variation between Itaipu and Furnas 50 Hz (HVDC Continuous Current System), exchange variation between Yacyretá and the Paraguayan system, and other related tests with the performance of the interconnected system and the Contingency Control Scheme of ANDE, ECCANDE,” stated Eng. Jaime Vera, head of system operation for Itaipu.

“All the actions were coordinated between the respective control centers of the interconnected system, under the general coordination of the ANDE Cargo Dispatch, according to the ECCANDE Test Protocol, prepared by the interested parties: CAMMESA (Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico SA de Argentina), ANDE, Itaipu Binacional, Yacyretá, Furnas and the National Operator of the Brazilian Electric System (ONS), which participate in the entire commissioning process of the interconnected operation,” Vera said .

As a result of the tests, satisfactory performance of the tested systems could be verified because the observed results were in accordance with those expected, he said.