Wind Power and Its Impact on the Moldovan Electrical System

Abstract: The master thesis project has been executed with the cooperation of Borlänge Energi, with the aim of reducing the high electric energy dependency which Moldova has on Ukraine, Transnistria and Russia. The project examines what reduction that would be possible by wind power installations on the existing electrical grid of Moldova. The installations should not surpass the capacity of the transmission lines or the voltage levels according to regulation. The southern regions of Moldova proved to have the best wind conditions and the locations of Besarabeasca, Zarnesti, Leovo, Ciadyr and Cimislia in the southern region were chosen for wind power installations. For the analysis a model over the Moldovan electrical system is constructed. Each of the five chosen locations is modelled with a generator symbolizing the wind power installation. The power flow software PSS/E is used to construct the model. To examine possible wind power installations different scenarios are created. The scenarios are executed with the southern regions 110 kV system as a focus area. All scenarios are analysed with a contingency analysis, where transmission lines in the focus region are tripped. The contingency analysis and the scenarios are automated using the programming language Python. An economic analysis shows payback periods for wind power investments in Moldova, the analysis also shows the sensitivity of the electricity price and discount rates. The project concludes that wind power installations are possible with the Moldovan electric grid as it looks today. The installations would result in reducing the high dependency of imported electrical energy.