Project being constructed

This project is located at Quarry Lane in the townland of Ballysumaghan Co. Sligo. We are constructing a grid stability project, located close to the existing Flagford-Srananagh 220-110kV electricity substation.

Project at a glance

  • A zero-carbon grid stability solution to replace the need for fossil fuel generation
  • A grid services facility located adjacent to the existing substation
  • This facility will replace services currently provided by utilising fossil fuel burning power stations while needlessly emitting carbon and incurring costs throughout the process
  • This facility would essentially apply a smoothing effect on the electricity as it passes through the equipment in the facility ultimately delivering frequency and voltage stability to the grid system
  • The majority of the equipment required would be housed
  • It will not require additional overhead lines or generate power and would not be a manned facility

What is grid stability?

 

This project will help to increase grid stability by delivering a net zero alternative to conventional fossil fuel burning plants and will help to facilitate the stable integration of renewable energy onto the Irish electricity grid system. By introducing a piece of equipment known as a synchronous compensator onto the electricity grid system, we will help to reduce reliance on fossil fuel power stations which have traditionally provided such grid stability services. It will not generate electricity however it will facilitate the greening of our electricity system by performing a very important grid stabilising function.

Benefits of grid stability

This project will deliver grid stability services that will:

 

  1. Enhance the strength of the national grid by providing improved capacity for generation and new demand in the region, without needing to build new overhead lines
  2. Provide grid stability through increased inertia along with reactive power which will improve voltage stability in the region
  3. Provide a zero-carbon alternative source of grid services to fossil fuel burning plants

In order to achieve our ambitious energy targets, inertia and reactive power grid services such as that proposed here are crucial to ensure that the grid system will run efficiently and cost-effectively while also retaining the security, stability and reliability expected by consumers.