Technical assessment on Rwandan Power grid stability, Case study: Northern Zone

Abstract

The objective of an Electric power system is to generate electrical energy and distribute that energy to the end user appliance at an acceptable voltage. The Technical Assessment on Power System Stability in Rwandan Grid provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges and implications associated with the power stability of Rwanda's electrical grid. The availability of a stable and reliable electricity supply is crucial for a nation's economic development and quality of life. In Rwanda, the energy sector has been rapidly expanding, and the government has made substantial investments in infrastructure to meet the growing energy demands. However, the grid experiences power fluctuations that affect the reliability and efficiency of the electricity supply. This technical assessment seeks to identify the root causes of stability issues in Rwanda's electrical grid, assess their impact on various stakeholders, and propose recommendations for mitigation. A northern network model was built in ETAP software as the study case. The collection of time series loading on different northern substations during 24 hours was conducted and the data collected were simulated using ETAP software to analyze the root cause of power instability in the network. The voltage stability analysis, Short circuit analysis, contingency analysis, optimal power flow, PV and QV curves, and surge loading event were analyzed in ETAP software. As a result, it was discovered that the stability of the entire system is impacted when a substation fails or disconnects. Long transmission lines affect the voltage profile of the system in addition to faults, as they contribute to the significant voltage drop at some substations.