Grid Code
Mexican regulation published in the Official Gazette of the Federation for the participants of the Electric Market (MEM), whereas they are obliged to comply. The Grid Code objective is to safeguard the integrity of the electric system as well as provide quality, continuity, reliability and sustainability. Is regulated by Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) and guarded by the National Center of Energy Control (CENACE).
Benefits
These recommendations were originally conceived collectively, with the aim of improving energy quality and its impact on the improvement of industrial production. The most advanced countries in the world, lacking large sources of energy, have implemented these recommendations for decades with good results, such as an increase in their productive indices.
CRITERIA
The provisions of “The regulatory manual for technical requirements for the connection of load centers” within the Grid Code, establishes the parameters that all load centers must comply with. The requirements establish the values that must be complied with, in terms of:
- Tension
- Frequency
- Short circuit
- Power factor
- Protections
- Control
- Exchange of information
- Energy quality
- Simulation models (Required by CENACE)
- Telemetry
SANCTIONS
According with the Grid Code, “The members of the electrical industry who fail to observe, in a serious manner in the opinion of the CRE, the provisions established in the Grid Code, will be subject to the sanctions established in article 165, section I, section k), and fraction II, subsection C) of the Electricity Industry Law (LIE).
“Article 165.- Infractions to the provisions of this Law, its Regulations or provisions emanating from it shall be punished in accordance with the following:
- With a fine of two to ten percent of the gross income received in the previous year [ …]
- With a fine of fifty thousand to two hundred thousand minimum wages […]
COMPLIANCE DIAGNOSIS
- Site visit – Data collection on site
- Parameter monitoring
- Compliance diagnosis
- Workplan elaboration
- Implementation of work plan
TIME: 1 WEEK (On site) + 1 week (Data analysis)
The “Regulatory Manual of Technical Requirements for the connection of load centers”; stablishes the responsibilities of the Load Centers connected to the National Electric System (SEN) in high voltage and medium voltage. The most precise and accurate way to know the current values of each parameter, is to perform an on-site monitoring. The energy quality analyzers are programmed to take five-minute measurements (as established by the Grid Code) taking sample values of each parameter, in this way there is evidence enough for any audit by the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). An example of this is shown in Figure 1.
“Each requirement is an opportunity to make every industry more efficient, thus reducing the consumption of electrical energy. Let us offer you our experience and service to develop the work plan for your company.”
WORKPLAN
Our experience in the management of the National Electrical System (SEN) combined with Grid Code compliance diagnoses executed to different companies, results in a solid engineering support at your service.
The main challenge set by the Grid Code is to improve the quality of electrical energy in the SEN, forcing users to focus on improving the electrical variables that most impact on the quality of energy. In accordance with the Grid Code section B. 3, The work plan will be binding and must contain, at least, the following information:
- “The specific actions that will be implemented to comply with the criteria that ceased to be observed.”
- “The schedule to implement the actions described in the previous point and for the delivery of progress reports to the CRE.”
- “The identification of indicators on the progress in the implementation of the actions described.”