LCIS Procurement Phase 1 Information Note
Following a procurement process by Transmission System Operators (TSOs), 10,963 MVAs of Low Carbon Inertia Services (LCIS) have been successfully contracted, exceeding the target set by the SEM Committee. LCIS are used to absorb or produce reactive power on the electricity grid to provide inertia (or a steady frequency) and thereby ensure security of supply.
The context for requiring LCIS is an increasing amount of renewable and non-synchronous generation in Ireland and Northern Ireland, which poses challenges to electricity system stability. This is because this type of generation does not produce the same amount of electricity consistently, making it less predictable and more difficult to bring onto the grid. Most renewable forms of energy, such as wind and solar, are types of non-synchronous generation.
In line with government targets to reach an 80% share of electricity generation capacity coming from renewable sources by 2030 in Ireland and Northern Ireland, the TSOs have completed LCIS Phase 1 Procurement. The SEM Committee set a target to procure 10,000 MVAs of LCIS in both jurisdictions and the TSOs successfully contracted 10,963 MVA.s in total, equating to approximately 45% of the system’s current inertia floor requirements. The success of the LCIS procurement will allow the Regulatory Authorities and TSOs to further decarbonise the electricity system, support increasing renewable and low carbon generation, and ensure security of supply.
This Information Paper details the background of the LCIS Procurement project, the Phase 1 Procurement, and sets out next steps as the TSOs aim to initiate LCIS Phase 2 Procurement.
1. MVA = Megavolt-amperes, the unit used to measure the power capacity of large electrical systems and equipment