Analysis of the plant and operational requirements for the design of a flexible and new generation LCC HVDC system: the Sa.Co.I 3 technology case

The SA.CO.I 2 HVDC link, connecting Sardinia, Corsica and Italian mainland, was the first multi-terminal scheme to enter in operation in Europe; after 30 year of operation it is still the only multi-terminal link in ENTOSE network. In order to face the new challenges of renewable energy integration, Terna and EDF are going to refurbish and upgrade the existing link. Low short circuit power and inertia, as well as fast recovery after dc-line fault are some of the main issues to be overcome. The paper deals with the preliminary studies on Sa.Co.I 3 project, aimed at identifying the required link performances and technological solutions.