Transmission grid engineering

As the transmission engineering and expertise centre for the EDF Group, the Power System & Transmission Engineering Centre (CIST) is the focus for all the specialist disciplines involved in power transmission (power systems and transmission grids).

CIST is the power system & transmission engineering centre. In France, it negotiates the conditions for connection to the grid, and supervise the construction and maintenance of electricity supply installations, from the generating plant to the power transmission grid operated by RTE.

It is the focus for all the specialist transmission disciplines:

• Transmission grids (high-voltage substations, transmission lines, underground and subsea cables, HVDC/HVAC conversion stations, etc.)
• Control centers, remote operation and telecommunications networks
• Power system studies
• Interface with Transmission Grid Operators

Internationally, the services offered by CIST - Thermal Production & Engineering Division - cover five specialist engineering disciplines:

• Grid studies
• Concept studies (feasibility and design studies, technical and economic studies, etc.)
• Supplier tendering and award of contract (technical, equipment and construction specifications, construction company tendering documents and contract negotiation)
• Supervision of on-site work (progress tracking, factory acceptance tests, on-site testing, commissioning and guarantee monitoring)
• Operation and maintenance support (protection plans, audit, performance diagnosis and analysis, etc.)

All these specialist skills are made available to EDF Group generators (nuclear, hydropower, thermal, photovoltaic and wind power) to the Group subsidiary companies (Enedis, EDF-EN and SEI-PEI) and external clients (generators, public sector companies, transmission and distribution grid operators, government ministries, financial institutions and manufacturers) in France and internationally.

CIST operates in 40 countries.

High-profile projects include supervision of specification preparation and project site management for all the transmission aspects and components for the Nam Theun 2 dam in Laos.

Rated at 1,070 MW, this facility exports 995 MW of the power it generates to Thailand. CIST also supervised the construction of 138 km of power lines across the Mekong River.

The impact study we conducted in Jamaica to examine the integration of renewables into the transmission grid was able to demonstrate that the target of generating 30% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030 was achievable. The most appropriate locations have been identified, and the costs calculated.

In Togo-Benin, EDF Transmission expertise was behind the construction of two 2x161 kV overhead power lines, a 2x63 kV underground line, the construction of a 161/63/20 kV substation, and the extension of a 63/15 kV substation.

In Qatar, EDF has conducted a supervisory study and set up a despatching centre in the country to provide enhanced management of the national distribution grid.