With Resolution 540/2021/R/eel, the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment (ARERA) requires real-time monitoring of energy generation plants with power greater than or equal to 1 MW connected to medium voltage (MV).
In order to meet this requirement, all owners must equip their plants with a power plant controller (PPC) by 31 May 2024. This device ensures direct measurements of the plant’s performance to transmit them to the Distributor System Operator (DSO) through protocol IEC 61850 (the distributor will then send them to Terna). All technical specifications for the PPC are described in the regulation CEI 0-16, attachments O and T.
Incentives for upgrading costs
For the upgrade of existing plants – meaning those operational prior to 31 March 2023 – the Authority has set out the issue of a one-off contribution, whose amount varies according to upgrade timing. The sooner the upgrade, the greater the incentive available.
Specifically, the contribution for the installation of the centralised plant controller in existing plants is as follows:
- 10,000€ with upgrade completed by 31 July 2023;
- 7,500€ with upgrade completed between 1 August 2023 e il 31 October 2023;
- 5,000€ with upgrade completed between 1 November 2023 e il 31 January 2024;
- 2,500€ with upgrade completed between 1 February 2024 e il 31 May 2024.
Those that will not have upgraded their plants within the time frame set by the regulation will be considered non-compliant. As for new plants (operational starting from 1 April 2023), there is no incentive available, since they will have to be already equipped with a PPC to be put in service.
Rely on Energy Team for your PPC
We will not just provide you with the centralised plant controller. We will be supporting you throughout the whole upgrading process, taking care of the following:
- Supply of unit for acquisition and remote management of measurements at Point Of Delivery;
- Constant checking and verification of the correct functioning of field equipment;
- Supply of PPC;
- Installation support;
- Support for contribution requests to the Authority.
Our support willcontinue for the entire contract duration:
- Management of assistance and maintenance;
- Management of communication to the DSO;
- Access to CloE app dedicated to production plants;
- Continuous updating regarding applicable regulations and opportunities to generate income by providing services to the DSO.
The power plant controller for the provision of grid services
The centralised plant controller also allows for the participation, upon appropriate remuneration, in the distribution’s future pilot projects.
This data-acquisition system has indeed been developed as a single tool for communication with distributors and with Terna for the provision of grid services, such as voltage regulation or secondary frequency regulation. The monitoring necessity thus becomes an opportunity for future business developments to the benefit of grid security.
Access CloE to view all data collected by the PPC
As an integration to the centralised plant controller, on our platform CloE we developed a specific app to monitor generation plants.
The PPC, besides transmitting directly real-time data to the energy distributor, sends them also to CloE, allowing for the continuous and constant monitoring of the information related to the plant and of their successful transmission. This way, you can always make sure to be compliant with the current regulation.
Moreover, CloE allows to view data in the form of graphs and charts, as well as to obtain reports about the plant’s performance.