ASM Terni is Public Company fully owned by the local municipality (City of Terni). The activity of the company is related to very essential public services in the City of Terni area as: i) Production and distribution of Electric Energy, ii) Management of public street lighting, iii) Environmental Health, iv) Drinkable water distribution and water treatment plant, v) Gas distribution . As DSO, ASM Terni directly owns and operates the power distribution grid and distributes electricity from the MV-LV and HV-MV substations to the end consumers’ (65.000 Smart Meters). Over the time, the power grid of ASM has seen the construction of many photovoltaic power plants thanks to the incentives for renewable energy sources (RES). This fact has increased the not programmable power injected into the grid. In 2009 the production units connected to the MV/LV grid of ASM produced 143 GWh, and the absorption by passive users was 385 GWh (approx. 37% of total requirements are RES production). In 2014, the production units connected to the MV/LV grid of ASM produced 178GWh, and the absorption by passive users was 347GWh, (approx. 49% of total requirements are RES production).The capillary penetration of the RES transformed the MV/LV distribution grid from a purely passive network – which, being operated in radial direction, is characterized by mono-directional power flows (i.e. from the HV grid to final users) – into an active grid with significant bidirectional flows (i.e. from active users to the HV grid). As a result, the urgent need was felt to introduce new grid operation and intelligent reliable techniques (i.e. Smart Grid). The project Smart Grid in the MV/LV ASM distribution grid has been based on the replacement of the current Telecontrol system with an upgraded SCADA system able to implement modern logics for grid regulation, automation and control including the possibility to implement the electrical grid model within its layout.
A second very important phase in the development of the Smart Grid has started with the FINESCE project. In fact, in FINESCE has been implemented a trial site in a MV/LV portion of grid with an high presence of distributed energy resources (difficult to be managed due to the variability of external factors such as weather conditions) that consequently, as side effects, arise both reverse power flows through the secondary substation and reduced operational efficiency of the involved components (e.g. power losses in MV/LV transformers and reduced lifecycle). The main objective of this application is to enable a demand response mechanism aiming at the minimization of reverse power flow effect, by trying to shift the demand during peaks of production, through an active participation of the consumers. For this purpose, new generation of intelligent unbundled low cost Smart Meters able to monitor and control a near real time of energy have been installed, thanks to NOBEL GRID project that even made more efficient the ASM network management in terms of flexibility. An AMI/AMR system has been developed for this application in order to apply a demand response approach in the trial. Furthermore, ASM Terni is acquiring important storage solution expertise of means by ELSA project which have installed low cost battery in Terni pilot’s site. Further developments are in progress thanks to news project as Success (new advanced on security aspects).
Role in InteGRIDy:
TERNI will contribute to the elicitation of requirements, the definitions of Business Scenarios and the identification of stakeholders. A significant contribution will be given also in what concerns the National Legislation. In preparation of the Pilot in Terni, TERNI will undertake the task of integrating and interconnecting filed devices. Further contributions are expected in Evaluation and Impact assessment and dissemination among possible interested subjects.
