Elering tests reliability of Estonia's power system with black-start test
Estonian grid operator Elering conducted a technical test on Wednesday to check the system's readiness to operate in partial isolation and restore functionality after disruptions.
Estonia's transmission system operator Elering carried out a so-called black-start test on Wednesday to assess the reliability of the power system in situations where part of the grid must temporarily operate separately from the rest. The test evaluated the performance of equipment, control systems, and work procedures under more complex conditions than usual.
Elering stated that the goal was to gain practical assurance that the solutions needed to restore the power system also work in difficult circumstances. The test was conducted under controlled and carefully prepared conditions, with no risk of outages or impact on consumers during the test period.
Currently, Estonia has limited options for restarting the power system. With the July 15 black-start test, Elering checked one existing restart capability.
"Power system reliability cannot be ensured only with plans and models. It is also important to test how the system behaves in a difficult situation and how it can be brought back online if needed," said Märt Allika, head of Elering's energy system control center.
To enable more restart points in crisis situations, Elering is procuring distributed restart capability. The aim is to increase the number of solutions and locations from which the power system could be restarted in an emergency.
Elering announced in April that it would procure a distributed restart service to ensure rapid restoration of Estonia's power system in the event of a major outage. The exact cost will be determined during the procurement process.
To achieve this, Elering plans to build 900 megawatts of power plants in various parts of Estonia. They should be completed by 2035, when older oil-shale plants will no longer be in use.
Elering CEO Kalle Kilk said in April that creating restart capability does not necessarily mean building gas plants, but they are the most suitable and likely the most competitive option under Estonian conditions.
