Ansaldo Supplies Synchronous Condensers to Support Italian Grid
Ansaldo will design, supply, commission, maintain, and service its five 250-MVAR synchronous condensers.
Terna awarded two lots of a public tender for five synchronous compensators, valued at ~ €300 million, to Ansaldo Energia. This acquisition marks the 13th Italian grid stabilization plant in operation with Ansaldo Energia’s equipment, using a total of 15 synchronous condensers.
“This project confirms the Ansaldo Energia Group’s commitment to ensuring the stability of the electricity grid in the face of the increasing spread of renewable energy plants, which by their very nature are subject to discontinuity and non-programmability of the power supplied,” said Stefano Gianatti, Executive Vice President Thermal New Units of Ansaldo Energia.
Ansaldo Energia's synchronous condenser; credit: Ansaldo
Ansaldo Energia will service its five 250-MVAR synchronous condensers, which will be installed and commissioned in the next five years. They are equipped with the “flywheel system” that uses a vacuum chamber to minimize mechanical losses caused by air friction.
Synchronous condensers regulate reactive power exchanged with the grid and improve voltage profiles. This significantly contributions to the grid’s short-circuit power. They also help stabilize the grid by providing an inertia contribution to avoid sudden voltage or frequency changes.
Ansaldo in the News
Earlier this month, Ansaldo Energia signed on to provide a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)-fueled turbine for Ireland’s Tarbert Power Station, a 300-MW facility set to run entirely on sustainable biofuel. The AE94.3A turbine, coupled with a generator, will deliver fossil-free power using HVO, a diesel alternative made from waste feedstocks.
The simple-cycle Tarbert Power Station, owned by SSE Thermal, will support and contribute to Ireland’s electricity supply, securing electrical power and providing critical electricity to the supply system during peak demand. Also, the plant will Ireland’s expanding renewable generation capacity.
“We are grateful to SSE Thermal for the confidence it has placed in Ansaldo Energia, which once again proves to be a trusted partner for energy security and transition,” said Stefano Gianatti, Executive Vice President New Units of Ansaldo Energia.
