Page 41 - Energize March 2021

TECHNICAL

Stable grids in a greener world

by Ed Targett on behalf of Siemens Energy

A major refurbishment of the Moyle Interconnector in Northern Ireland brings new opportunities for
owner-operator Mutual Energy, as renewables generation soars and the infrastructure’s control and
protection system is modernised to adapt to a dynamically evolving market.

he Moyle Interconnector carries 500 Energy – a mutual company whose sole purpose is to benefit the energy customers of
MW for 64 km between Ballycronan Northern Ireland rather than returning profits to shareholders – has contracted Siemens Energy
TMore in Islandmagee, County to deliver a major refurbishment project, which has just concluded its Phase 1.
Antrim, Northern Ireland, and Auchencrosh,
Ayrshire, Scotland. The names have poetry New requirements generate new opportunities
in them. Where the submarine HVDC Sam Gibson, Mutual Energy’s Moyle Interconnector Operations Manager, explains the logic
interconnector comes ashore on the Irish behind the investment: “With almost 20 years in operation, the interconnector has been a
side of the North Channel, so does the vital energy asset, but we were facing obsolescence issues with our control system. We
landscape: The dramatic scenery made it a were also looking at how the requirements for the interconnector were changing, and how
central filming location for numerous scenes the control system had to meet requirements above and beyond those that were originally
in the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” envisaged for it.”
Unlike many of the tourists who Market changes include significantly greater load from renewables and a market
flock to the area, Moyle’s owner, Mutual structure that is in many ways unrecognisable from when Moyle was originally built.
Energy, does not have its mind on As Mutual Energy’s Tim Cox, an experienced regulatory analyst, notes: “When Moyle
dragons, but rather on stability, resilience, went into operation in 2002, it was really built for security of supply for the Northern Ireland
and optimising its offering for partners consumer to keep energy prices down. But the way that market has evolved means that with
in both the all-Ireland Integrated Single the establishment of an all-island market in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland,
Electricity Market (ISEM) to the west of transmission rights were available to a larger portfolio of customers.”
where the interconnector comes ashore
and the British market at the east; the Ancillary services in high demand
two have been coupled since October Then, when the market integrated with the European day-ahead market in 2018, those
2018, meaning the direction of the transmission rights became available to an even larger portfolio of players. “This happened at
interconnector flows are determined by the same time that the onshore TSOs established capacity mechanisms, for recognising the
relative prices in the two markets. contribution assets provide to security of supply,” explains Cox. “Interconnectors now qualify,
Facing growing pressure from a because they provide access not just to a single asset, but to a fleet of assets on the other
dynamically evolving market, Mutual side of the interconnector.”

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