The government is set to discuss technical standards aimed at enhancing the stability of the power system in line with the expansion of renewable energy. As the use of inverter-based power sources such as solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) increases, there is a need to transform the existing centralized power grid into a decentralized and bidirectional structure.
The Electric Commission of the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on July 20 that it will hold the '1st Grid Code Expert Committee' on July 21 at the Coal Hall in Jongno, Seoul, to discuss measures for ensuring the stability and reliability of the power system amid the expansion of renewable energy.
The grid code encompasses standards for maintaining power system reliability and electrical quality, operating rules for the electricity market, and regulations for the use of transmission and distribution facilities. The Electric Commission has restructured the previous 'Power System and Reliability Expert Committee' into the 'Grid Code Expert Committee' to better respond to the changing power environment. This expert committee will review technical operating standards to enhance the stability and reliability of the domestic power system and propose long-term improvement directions.
Earlier, the government revealed its plan to transition to a renewable energy-centered power system through its energy transition promotion plan announced in April. Consequently, the power system is rapidly shifting from a centralized structure centered on large-scale power plants to a decentralized and bidirectional structure that includes solar, wind, ESS, and demand resources from various localities.
The expert committee will discuss the current status and improvement directions of the domestic grid code suitable for inverter-based power sources, safety and system interconnection standards for BESS, large-scale blackout prevention and system restoration systems, and long-term improvement directions for future power system operating standards.
Discussions on the grid code are crucial as an underlying infrastructure for the expansion of renewable energy. Simply increasing generation capacity does not guarantee the stability of the power grid; it is essential to maintain frequency and voltage, respond to output fluctuations, and ensure system restoration capabilities in the event of an accident to effectively utilize renewable energy as a primary power source.
In particular, solar and wind energy are connected to the grid through inverters, which have different characteristics compared to traditional synchronous generators. Without clearly defining standards for fault tolerance, voltage and frequency control, reactive power supply, and output control, the increasing share of renewable energy could lead to greater instability in the power system.
Kim Chang-seop, the chair of the Electric Commission, stated, "To respond to the expansion of renewable energy and the structural changes in the power system, continuous and proactive enhancement of operating and technical standards is essential. I expect the Grid Code Expert Committee to play a significant role in improving the stability and reliability of the power system based on the opinions of various technical experts."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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