National Standard Grid Operation Code Taking Effect Officially on Dec. 1

Link of the original text: http://www.chinapower.com.cn/newsarticle/1242/new1242815.asp

Grid Operation Code (GB/T 31464-2015, referred to as the Code) was issued on May 15, 2015 and took effect officially on Dec. 1, 2015. The Code is the upgrade version of Grid Operation Code (DL/T 1040-2007) as an industrial standard and is mile stone of an essential and steady step of grid operation management of China to legislation and institutionalization.

From No. 5 Document of the State Council in 2002 to No. 9 Document issued by The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China and State Council in 2005, the reform of power system has been furthered constantly within the period more than 10 years. With the systematic separation between the power stations and grids and adjustment of administration function of power, the new participants to each link of power generation keep increasing; in the condition where the old management structure based on administrative bond is broken down, the whole industry of power and the whole society, to adapt to the requirements of furthering the power system reform and balance the interest claims of various parties scientifically, objectively and justly, need a new law and standard to regulate the relationships, duties and conducts of each party. In such situation, the Code comes into being to support the market reform and guarantee the safe operation of power system.

The Chief Secretary of National Grid Operation & Control Standardization Technology Committee said that safe and stable operation of grid was the foundation of power production and operation and played an essential part in social stability and sound development of national economy. The Code has become a basic and comprehensive technology standard of power and is a programmatic standard to instruct the stable operation of grid and safe transaction of power. From 2003, when the program was established, to July 2007, when the Code was issued for implementation, and to May 20415, when the Code was upgraded into a national standard and issued officially, the Code has been tested, practiced and optimized through so many years and the issuance of the Code is a natural and certain result of the further reform of power system and will surely improve the level of safe production of power system to take a dramatic leap and play a significant part for harmonious development of power.

Striving hard and reaching the peak

With rules comes regularity. For the power system, a gigantic system with complicated strong coupling, only by forming a consciousness and circumstance of rule compliance over the whole industry can the safe operation level of grid be improved constantly to generate more interests for enterprises and the society; in addition, only under common control can the regular order of the grid be maintained to explore the methods and path to improve the operation efficiency of grid with market system with multiple subjects and separated management system and promote the reform of power system to develop further.

During the process when the experts of the industry were gathered to compile the Code, relevant national authority collected the main personnel working form the preparation of the Code to compile and issue Grid Operation Code and confirm the management relationship between the grid and power generation enterprises and requirements by laying focus on management and responsibilities. The Code has adopted the management foundation of Grid Operation Code and clarified and specified the technology requirements of the power system. It’s more practical.

When issued in 2007 as an industrial standard, Grid Operation Code was recognized and followed by the whole industry. The Code actually acts as a double standard in terms of management and technology so that it could play an important role in maintaining the harmonious operation of each link of the power system and securing the safety of the grid.

The Code is of the premise of justice, fairness and openness and based on Power Supervision Code and Grid Regulation & Regulation Code; the group wisdom in government departments, power planning and design, scientific research institutions, power generating enterprises and grid enterprises; the essences of the mode of enhancing management of grid operation adopted by the UK, India, Australia, Ireland, etc. could be adopted so that the power industry in China can integrate with the global industry and the mature experience of grid operation and management in China could be inherited and taken over and the up-to-date results of scientific research achieved in the 21st century in the power industry in China could be adopted; the operation of extra-high voltage AC and DC grid and connection in of the massive new energy could be taken into full consideration. In addition, the Code, besides operation, puts light on the process management of power planning, design and operation and the principle of coordination of the whole process and reflects scientificity and integrity.

From an industrial standard in 2007 to the national standard today, the Code insists on the principle of coordination between the objective principle of power system and market operation, is raised and tested constantly in practice and reflects the characteristic of innovation and development of the power system. The innovation, scientificity and integrity of the Code have been recognized widely and the honor the Award Class III has been honored by China Electricity Council. With testing and optimization through 8 years, the Code has been upgraded to a national standard and this upgrade can reflect the recognition of the industry, government and the whole society to the previous achievements of the Code and the sincere expectation of each aspect of the society to the more important roles to be played by the Code.

Correcting constantly and regulating comprehensively

In terms of physical essence, each link of power system is each procedure of power generation; the proper coordination and cooperation between the procedures next to each other is necessary for regular process of power generation. The Code will regulate relevant technical requirements and working procedures to guarantee the safe, stable and economical operation of the grid according to the construction and production procedure of planning, construction, connecting in grid and power grid operation.

The Code includes 6 chapters, 31 sections and 9 appendixes and is applicable to the grid enterprises, power generation enterprises and power users related to operation of grid and the relevant departments and management departments related to planning, design, construction, testing, debugging, research and development, etc.

In aspect of planning, design and construction of power system, to fulfill the technology conditions required for stable and safe operation of grid, the Code has clarified the basic technology requirements and working procedures to be fulfilled by the grid and power generation enterprises. By specifying the working procedures, design principle and technology standard to be followed for the preliminary planning, project design and stage of construction, the Code can enable the power plants, transformer substation and power transmission lines connected to the grid to reach the national technology performance and quality indexes and meet the requirement of safe, stable and economical operation of the power system.

The Code has specified that the secondary system of power shall be planned and designed uniformly and shall be carried out with planning, design and construction of the primary system. The Code has included the safety guarding regulation of the secondary system and basic requirements of information safety guarding level and specified the principle of design and computing and system structure of relay protection, fully automatic device, dispatching automation system and power communication system. The Code has stated the requirement that relay protection shall meet the requirement of independence and anti-accident measures of relay protection function of power system, configuration of the safety automatic devices shall be planned and designed and constructed uniformly with construction of power plants and project of transmission and transformer of grid and the power communication shall meet the real-time and stability of information transmission. In addition, to assure safety, technological advance and reasonable cost of power project, the Code has also emphasized the procedure of acceptance and assessment of planning and design.  

In aspect of connecting to the grid, the Code has specified the basic technology requirements and working procedures to be followed by the grid enterprises and generation enterprises in connecting to and operating in the grid. The Code also has regulated the procedure of grid connection, clarified the duties, working requirements and time nodes related to grid connection and grid enterprises, clarified the technology features and operation features of grid to be fulfilled by the equipment and unified the technical conditions of grid connection of various power plants (including the renewable energy) and included DC power transmission system.

In aspect of grid operation, the Code has specified the principle of uniform dispatching and level-to-level management and clarified organization, instruction, direction and coordination of grid operation; the grid enterprises and grid users at each level shall comply with the Code of dispatching management of the relevant grid and operation of power system facilities shall meet relevant national and industrial standards. For the grids with established power market, relevant regulation of operation of power market and the supporting regulations shall also be followed.

The Code has specified the work items of grid operation, including load predicting, equipment overhaul, balance between generation and consumption, operation and frequency of grid, voltage control, etc. In addition, as to the fast development of new energy, the contents related to operation of wind power and photovoltaic power generation have been added and the relevant requirements of power predicting, establishment, adjustment and operation requirements of power plan; it’s specified that wind power field and photovoltaic power stations shall support the dispatching structure of grid and guarantee the safety of grid, shall participate in peak value regulation and frequency modulation according to the direction, shall participate in the idle balance and voltage regulation in regional grid and shall be of the function of automatic adjustment of online power and idle power.

The Code has specified the working procedure of each section, distribution of responsibility and technology requirements; in addition, it also includes 9 appendixes, all of which are the data lists and procedure requirements to be provided between grid and grid users. The contents of the appendixes accounts for approximately one third of the whole Code and have improved the practicality significantly.

Following rules and keeping safe

Without implementation, a good document will go invalid and an ideal target will go useless. The generation enterprises and the dispatching units shall comply with and implement the regulations together, have a consciousness about the importance and meaning of issuance of the Code, play out the important role of it and carry out the Code carefully and diligently.

The relevant units shall improve the knowledge about the importance and activity of implementation shall fully recognize the meaning and targets of issuance of the Code, master and understand each section of regulation. All the grid enterprises, generation enterprises, power users and relevant authorities of planning, design, construction, testing, debugging, research and development, etc., shall strengthen study and training of the Code and exchange of experience, generalize the principle, basic contents and regulations of the Code, promote the management of each level to make determination and carry out management according to laws and assure that knowledge, understanding and implementation can reach the required level. All relevant departments shall carry out the work according to the requirements of the Code and implement relevant contents in practical planning, design and construction, complete equipment debugging, personnel training, etc. according to the technology conditions of grid connection and carry out the work related to operation of grid according to requirements of the Code.

All the relevant parties shall complete the work of jointing with the Code in process of standard preparation and revision and shall prepare and/or revise relevant industrial standards and enterprise standards and dispatching specification and operation rules of onsite equipment according to the Code as a framework document. The relevant parties shall check the reasonability, regularity and completeness of the current management mode according to the requirements of the Code and shall terminate or amend the contents conflicting with the regulations of the Code; prepare necessary service manual or work instruction for the complicated work procedure related to several department or crossing work to provide faster and more convenient service to the grid users; implement relevant standards or technology requirements for debugging project and assessment standard of grid connection; complete exchange of information and data according to the period and regulations specified in the appendixes of the Code and complete the work of confidentiality for work of data collection.

The dispatching authorities shall enhance management of regularity of grid connection according to the Code. Strict reviewing procedure and detailed and effective technology conditions about grid connection have been specified in the Code in terms of grid connection management, including general technology conditions, grid interconnecting technology conditions, technology conditions of grid connection of power plants and technology conditions of grid connection for the users directly supplied by the main grid. The regulations shall be followed strictly so that the qualification of grid connection can be controlled properly and the first fence will be built up for risk control. The dispatching authorities shall, based on the requirements of the Code, complete work of charging and reviewing for grid connection, complete grid connection procedure according to the regulated sequence and enhance the technology management for the power plants connected to the grid and improve coordination between the grid and plant, complete work of safety on the interface and assure the harmonious operation of power plants and grid according to the procedures, technology conditions and management requirements of the Code; insist on the principle of uniform dispatching and level-to-level management, perform the duties in assuring safety of power system and assure smooth instruction channel of dispatching system.

The generation enterprises shall enhance and regulate grid connection of the units and operation management. The newly established units shall comply with requirements of the Code and shall submit relevant data of relevant control mechanism; the primary and secondary equipment for grid connection shall meet relevant technology requirements for grid connection and relevant automation and communication system shall be put in production with the primary system. Peak value regulation, frequency modification and voltage regulation shall be carried out as regulated; the booster station loop equipment, unit excitation, speed regulation system, public system and plant using system and relay protection related to grid and operation maintenance of safety and automatic devices; the anti-accident measures shall be taken and coordination operation of unit and grid shall be confirmed; operation management shall be enhanced; dispatching instruction and safety regulations shall be implemented strictly; technology exchange and technology training of grid and plants shall be carried out actively; dispatching discipline shall be strictly implemented; dispatching instruction shall be implemented strictly and the technology quality and operation level of the operation personnel shall be improved.

The relevant parties shall govern the grid by means of unity, harmonize development and support the operation and construction of smart grid so that it can rank in the leading rank of the world. In China, the main part of energy is still coal and reduction of carbon emission still faces fierce challenge. Constructing the global energy inter-connected grid is an innovation to handle the challenge of global weather change and the strategic selection of China to solve the difficult situation of emission reduction; development of extra-high voltage and clean energy and construction of smart grid are the key stone for setting up the global inter-connected grid. Therefore, the harmonious development between grid and power plants and common improvement of the safety guarding capacity of general grid is the premise of development. We should not only enhance management, explore potential and improve capacity of power transmission but accelerate development of grid dramatically and maintain the harmony between power generation, power transmission and power use, accelerate construction of extra-high voltage grid and solve the problem of lacking transmission capacity and unbalanced power resources and electricity load in East, Middle and West China basically and realize resources optimization structure across the regions and sections. In addition, more effort of technology innovation shall be made, new technologies shall be introduced and used, level of safe operation shall be improved, operation efficiency of grid shall be increased and comprehensive guarantee function shall be improved.

Issuance and implementation of the Code will provide an important promotion to maintain the normal order of grid, improve safety and stability of grid, establish the harmonious relationship between grid and plants and will have an active drive to promoting the further reform of power system and promote the sustainable development of power industry.