A successful study case: Paracatu

Published in

Enline Energy Solutions

2 min readFeb 3, 2022

In October 2021, Enline carried out technical due diligence on a solar park. This analysis aims to assess whether the existing transmission line — 138 kV, 21 km — could meet an intended power generation expansion. The solar complex and transmission network are located in Paracatu, Minas Gerais — Brazil.

Customer Challenges

Our customer intended to double more than the installed than the existing one. This solar farm expansion concerned the designers regarding the transmission grid capacity, especially the dynamic line rating. The proposed approach considered all relevant meteorological variables and operating limits, such as mechanical, electrical and thermal quality indexes. The due diligence showed that the installation could withstand power production most of the time.

Challenges

Double and expand the solar farm
Regarding the transmission grid capacity
Meteorological variables, operating limits (mechanical and electrical)

Enline Team Resolution

Nevertheless, the analysis identified some weather scenarios and their probability to happen that are critical to power transmission. Harsh weather conditions disable power transmission; thus, the client cannot transmission all the produced power. The evaluation used long windowed time series of different weather variables to extract tendencies and statics values and compute the dynamic line rating.

Main achievements

Enline concluded that it is possible to double the installed power more than and not refurbish nor recapacitate the existing transmission line. Complying with all the operating limits, we also identified the probability and scenario that the line could not flow the generated power.

Achievements

100% of the installed power without refurbishing or recapacitate the already existent transmission lines
Identification of all scenarios in which the transmission line could not flow the generated power