Distributed Restart - network demonstrations

This paper explores the Network Demonstrations completed as part of the Distributed Restart project which was an innovation completed in partnership between SP Energy Networks (SPEN), NESO and TNEI, designed to provide detailed understanding on how distributed energy resources (DERs) can build, maintain and optimise power islands isolated from the main grid – with a view to driving down the time it would take to restore the network following the extremely unlikely event of total shutdown of Great Britain's electricity grid. The traditional top-down approach would be complimented by the DER enabled bottom-up approach to help ensure the targets detailed in the new Electricity System Restoration Standard (ESRS) be met. Three trials were completed at Redhouse, Chapelcross and Galloway within the SPEN region between 2020-2023 with the anchor generators for the tests being a mix of synchronous and non-synchronous inverter-based assets. Ultimately, these world-first tests set a precedent for the use of DER assets to be used in the UK or worldwide, as viable network restoration service providers. The learnings have been transitioned to BaU with SPEN (and a number of other UK DNOs) now building viable large scale Distributed Restoration Zones (DRZs) to enhance the UKs/ NESO's restoration portfolio.