UCTE

The "Union for the Co-ordination of Transmission of Electricity" (UCTE) is the association of transmission system operators in continental Europe, providing a reliable market base by efficient and secure electric "power highways".

50 years of joint activities laid the basis for a leading position in the world which the UCTE holds in terms of the quality of synchronous operation of interconnected power systems.

Through the networks of the UCTE, about 450 million people are supplied with electric energy – annual electricity consumption totals approximately 2300 TWh in this region.

UCTE has become the symbol of an efficient and secure operation of the interconnected electrical “power highways” and signals other markets when their system adequacy declines.

For more than 50 years, UCTE has been issuing all technical standards indispensable for a co-ordination of the international operation of high voltage grids, all working at one “heart beat” – the 50 Hz UCTE frequency related to the nominal balance between offer and demand.

The UCTE network provides a safe electricity supply for some 430 million people in one of the biggest electrical synchronous interconnections on the planet.

UCTE also monitors and supervises development of the UCTE synchronous area. The resynchronization process of the two UCTE zones split in 1991 due to the war events in former Yugoslavia was successfully achieved on 10 October 2004.

Currently, UCTE is investigating the following requests for enlargement of the UCTE network:

• The interconnection of Turkey
• The interconnection of Tunisia/Libya that would bring the UCTE frequency up to Syria and Lebanon
• The assessment via a major feasibility study on the interconnection of the two largest systems (UCTE and IPS/UPS) – that would result in one electricity system spreading from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Following the liberalization of the European electricity market (that resulted in an steep increase of cross-border flows), and the un-bundling of electricity sector (separating vertically integrated utilities into respective generation, transmission companies and distribution companies), there is a need to make European security and reliability standards enforceable for all interconnected TSO and, eventually, to all grid users.

 

 

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