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The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority has commissioned a 400-kV super grid that connects the electrical power networks of the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. This interconnection enables electrical energy exchange and emergency support among these countries.
The 400-kV transmission system was constructed in three phases:
Phase I included the 400-kV interconnection connecting the existing power systems of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, including a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) back-to-back 1,200-MW installation between a 50-Hz, 400-kV system and a 60-Hz, 380-kV system.
Phase II included the internal interconnection among the southern systems (UAE and Oman) to form the UAE national grid and the Oman northern grid.
Phase III included two major projects, a double-circuit 400-kV transmission line from Salwa (Saudia Arabia) to a new 400-kV substation at Al-Silaa (UAE). The new substation connects to UAE Transco's Shwaihat Substation as well as existing double- and single-circuit 220-kV transmission lines between the Al Fuhah Substation (UAE) and Mhadha Substation (Oman).
To control operations, the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) established a new interconnector control center equipped with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and energy management system (EMS) facilities in Ghunan, Saudi Arabia.
Operational Studies
In addition to conducting studies during the feasibility and planning stages of phase I, the GCCIA commissioned operational studies during the final construction stage of the GCC interconnection, prior to commissioning the interconnecting transmission lines. Undertaken by a consultant consortium consisting of RTE, Tractebel Engineering and Elia, the planning and operational studies were GCCIA's final verification of safe energization, synchronization and stable operation regimes for the interconnected power systems.
These studies provided recommendations for implementation on the interconnected systems. The study work entailed various workshops, attended by GCCIA, the consultant consortium and representatives from the operations team, as well as visits to European control centers.
Operational Standards
The implementation of such an interconnection highlights the need for new operational standards to ensure the reliability of the interconnected systems is improved and the frequency-control reserves are shared among the power systems. This gives rise to a balancing reserve generation capacity and the harmonization of policies and practices.
The HVDC converter station ensures a large power reserve is available in...