IPA hosts Kosovo System and Market Operator (KOSTT) Study Tour.
06/10/2009
Kosovo System and Market Operator (KOSTT) Study Tour.
In January 2009 an EU funded project entitled “Assistance to the Kosovo Transmission System and Market Operator (KOSTT)” was launched. With a two year duration, the project will deliver a programme of support to KOSTT, unbundled as a separate entity from the electricity generation and distribution company, KEK, in mid 2006. The programme comprises a team of consultants from IPA Energy + Water Economics and Italian Transmission System Operator, Terna, working closely with KOSTT senior management to build capability and transfer knowledge.
At the end of September 2009 a delegation of 8 KOSTT senior managers arrived in the UK for a study tour. The tour formed a key part of the EuropeAid funded project as it provided the opportunity for participants to meet and learn from counterpart professionals in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The KOSTT team arrived in the UK on Friday 25th September, determined to make the most of the opportunity to see as much of the UK transmission system first hand they elected to drive from London to the Lake District and on to Edinburgh over the weekend. Having mastered driving on the left and in traffic and road conditions very different from those in Pristina, the group started the tour with a day at the IPA offices in Edinburgh.
Above: A visit to IPA Offices Edinburgh
IPA Associate Director of Training and Regulation, Ian Benfield, started the week’s programme by taking the group through material illustrating the development of the current market and systems operation positions across many of the EU member states. Of particular interest to the group was information on market interconnectors, associated congestion issues and proposed solutions.
The following two days were also spent in Scotland, but required the visitors to experience the key factor that enables Scotland to be at the forefront of renewable energy generation at first hand - the famed Scottish weather, particularly the rain and the wind. Hydropower was the theme of the day on Tuesday with a visit to the hydropower schemes at Pitlochry, taking in the visitor centre and a diversion into minimizing the environmental impact of the scheme and the provision of a salmon ladder for the spawning salmon to return to their breeding grounds.The following day saw the group bracing themselves against the elements at Whitelee, the largest on-shore windfarm in Europe. Situated on the wild (and windy) moors 15 miles south of Glasgow, Whitelee uses 140 Siemens wind turbines each of 2.3MW capacity and has been operational since January 2008. The group were treated to lectures and demonstrations of the issues surrounding transmission from the turbines, a visit to the Control Centre that manages not just Whitelee but 11 other windfarm sites and a tour out and about on the 82Km network of track that interlinks the turbines to see them operating at close proximity.
Above: Close to the turbines at Whitelee
Above: Photo-call at Whitelee in a more sheltered spot
The final two days of the tour were spent in Northern Ireland where visits to both the System Operator, SONI and the Regulator, NIAUR stimulated great interest and discussion among the group. Afforded the opportunity to discuss dealing with one electricity market under two regulatory regimes, the group wasted no time in grilling their counterparts as these are issues they feel will be particularly relevant in Kosovo and its relationship with neighbouring countries. Also of great relevance and interest were presentations and debates on the operation of the transmission system across all of Ireland, dealing with issues around connecting windfarms to the network and seeing the newly installed SCADA systems in use in the SONI control room.
At the end of the visit the participants’ feedback on their experience was extremely positive and it was clear that they had enjoyed not only the generous knowledge sharing of their fellow professionals, but also the legendary Scottish and Northern Irish hospitality.
Sincere thanks are extended to all those who assisted in making the tour a success, especially Scottish Power, System Operator Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, Ian Benfield, James Toal of JayTee Consulting (Scotland) and the European Liaison Office to Kosovo.
Any enquiries relating to this article please contact Maria Peers or Mike Begley on +44 (0) 130 240 0840.
This study tour was an EU funded project managed by the European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo and carried our with the support of IPA Energy + Water Economics.
