HVDC link between Italy and Montenegro: impact of the commissioning on the real-time operation

The MONITA (MONtenegro-ITaly) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) link will connect the Italian peninsula and the South East Europe in order to allow the most efficient use of generation capacity located in Eastern countries, to enable possible mutual support between the Italian and the Balkan power systems and to contribute to the integration of the renewable generation. In order to verify all the characteristics and functionalities of the HVDC are compliant with the project specification and to test the impact on the interconnected power system, a commissioning phase before the start of the link operation is needed. In this context, the paper describes the commissioning process by real-time operation point of view, focusing on the coordination between the Terna and other involved parties, both for the weekly commissioning program definition and for the real-time testing. The paper, moreover, provides an overview of the specific tests performed, with reference to the impact for the Italian electrical system in terms of power flow distribution.