The security of the electricity grid in view of the Easter holidays lies on the “dedication” of RES producers, with IPTO (Independent Power Transmission Operator) and HEDNO (Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator) sounding the alarm due to “green” overproduction.
In particular, the conditions that will develop at Easter and especially on Easter Sunday will remind of a “perfect storm” testing the resilience of the country’s electrical system.
The main reason is based on the overproduction of Renewable Energy Sources plants which, according to estimates, is expected to reach 5,300 MW on a day when demand will reach historic lows due to a holiday, forcing Operators to discharge significant quantities of “green” energy in order to maintain the stability of the system, which, as is known, production should be fully aligned with demand.
It is worth noting that the same problems regarding the imbalance of production and demand were also recorded last year, however this year a series of factors end up shaping an extremely more complex situation that requires immediate response in order to avoid a total “blackout” in the country. The problem starts with the fact that HEDNO is unable to remotely manage most of the photovoltaics connected to its network. Therefore, if they are not disconnected from the producers, they will continue to inject energy, endangering the operation of the system.
HEDNO currently hosts around 8.5 GW of operating photovoltaics with the ability to handle only 1.9 GW, with the rest either in the process of installing remote control equipment (set-point) or remaining at the discretion of the producers for their management. In this context, emergency measures are being considered that will compensate and balance the emergency conditions that, as everything indicates, will be formed in the immediate future.
In any case, executives of the Operator who spoke with “N” clarified that all necessary measures will be taken for the security of the system, however, they added that the situation is extremely critical and therefore requires due attention. Besides, as they specifically pointed out, Easter Sunday may constitute a critical “milestone”, however, every Sunday from now on, may develop into a “nightmare” for the electrical system under certain conditions that will increase the production of RES in Greece and the region.
What are the reasons?
In conditions of increased penetration of RES units in the energy mix and in the absence of storage systems, excess green energy has no other choice but to be rejected, in order to ensure the balance of the electrical system. According to available data from IPTO, the phenomenon of cuts has been increasing in recent years, being directly related and relevant to the expansion of the “green fleet” in the country’s energy mix. Indicatively, in 2022 we counted 7 days of restriction of RES unit injection into the network, in 2023 43 days and in 2024 the number peaked at 102 days while it is expected to record a new record this year.
