National Grid Electricity System Operator is going to market for stability services to manage inertia, dynamic voltage and short circuit levels from April 2020 out to March 2026.
The aim is to address local issues so that they reduce the knock on effect on the wider system.
The ESO is looking for firms to provide frequency and voltage stability services out to 2026, though it is also tendering for services out to 2023. Delivery starts from April 2020, though bidders are eligible if they can provide services at 132kV, 275kV or 400kV voltage levels no later than April 2021.
Distribution network operators and transmission system operators can bid for contracts, as well as commercial providers.
The ESO said because high reliability is required, it has restricted eligible technologies to synchronous compensators and synchronous generators running in a synchronous compensator mode. It said these could be provided from existing plant, conversion or new build from either existing or new Balancing Mechanism (BM) participants.
As the ESO is procuring a zero megawatts service, availability payments will only be made when plant is not generating.
See details here.
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