Renewable sources integration using HVDC in parallel to AC traditional system: the Adriatic project

Along the Adriatic coast, the Italian transmission system consists of a single 400 kV North-South Line. This limits the power transfer capacity between the Center North and Center South market zones and with the risk of overload in case of high renewable generation in Southern Italy. The year 2019 Network Development Plan foresaw the installation of a submarine High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) line between the Fano (Center North) and Villanova (Center South) substations, in order to overcome environmental and social constrains and allow a full integration of Southern renewable sources. This paper presents an evaluation of the operating limits of a specific portion of the Adriatic 400 kV backbone, both in its current configuration and after the installation of the new HVDC link.