Open call for project proposals Energiforsk Programme Grid interaction with nuclear power plant operations, GINO

Introduction

This is an Open Call for projects to be performed within the Energiforsk Grid Interaction with Nuclear power plant Operations, GINO, programme.

The GINO research programme is one of seven programmes in the Energiforsk Nuclear Portfolio. Energiforsk is a research and knowledge institute that advances and coordinates energy research. Energiforsk’s clients include industry and energy companies, the Swedish government and the EU, as well as professional associations, consultants and NGOs.

The GINO programme aims to investigate how events and disturbances in the electricity grid affect the operation and components of a nuclear power plant and vice versa. The purpose is to create a holistic view of the interactions between the external grid and a nuclear power plant.

This Open Call

Themes of specific interest in this open call are Voltage variations and Future outlook. Examples of interesting topics are:

• Investigation of transients resulting from step-wise voltage angle changes (phase shifts) and their effects

• Investigation of over-voltage events and future needs for fault ride-through capabilities/requirements (interest is on both over-voltage and under-voltage) given new grid environments and events and correlations with under-frequency

• Outlook on the state of the national, Nordic and European grid and and beyond on a 5-10 year level based on for example white papers, outlooks (for instance network- and system-development plans) and regulations, and what this will mean for the Nordic NPPs.

The aim of the Open Call is to gain a better understanding of the future grid environment that the NPPs will be operating in, as well as to gain increased knowledge of the grid behaviour and resulting effects on the NPPs from transients and over-voltage events. For the case with over-voltage events the impact of the NPPs on grid is of interest to cover as well, in particular at weak grid conditions.

Background on the GINO programme

The GINO programme aims to investigate how events and disturbances in the electricity grid affect the operation and components of a nuclear power plant and vice versa. The purpose is to create a holistic view of the interactions between the external grid and a nuclear power plant. The research also investigates various specific technical issues concerning the influence from the grid.

The programme's stakeholders are the owner companies of the Swedish and Finnish nuclear power plants, the Swedish National Grid Operator and the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. Information about the programme is available on the Energiforsk website: www.energiforsk.se

The strategic focus of the GINO programme is built around the following questions and issues on system level as well as plant- and grid operations level

• The grid functionalities and interactions decide what the power plants need to be aware of to be able to respond and interact in the most optimal way with regards to reactor safety and operational aspects. A look forward on future grid functionalities and interactions includes questions about for example new and changing system components, equipment technology, system services and grid dimensioning factors.

• Which factors are appropriate to define the functionality of the existing and future grid is important to understand, as this will impact design of all systems that interact with the grid. This includes questions about for example new and changing stability and robustness factors and their reactor safety implications.

• New nuclear and how it will be connected to the grid will impact the future grid functionalities and thereby the existing nuclear power plants. This issue includes an orientation on implications for the existing power plants and the grid of connecting different types of reactors to different levels of the grid.

• Converter connected power generation and large converter connected loads are connected to the transmission grid. The programme wants to gain a better understanding of the subtransmission (DSO) experience of the grid interaction.

• Experiences of behaviour of power plant and grid system and components from an operational point of view can give increased understanding the characteristics of occurrences and thereby help to improve pro-active measures, lessen risk of unplanned outages and maintain reactor safety.

Practical information

Project proposals shall be submitted on the attached Project proposal Template, see down below. The proposal must clearly describe how performance of the project will benefit the GINO programme. The proposal should be maximum two pages long. The proposal is not considered a binding tender.

The deadline for proposals is 2026-02-28.

Proposals are submitted to GINO programme manager Karin.westling@energiforsk.se

The GINO steering group chooses which proposals to proceed with during March. The programme manager will inform all applicants of results by the end of March. Successful applicants will be asked to submit a binding tender.

The deadline for binding tenders is 2026-04-24.

The GINO steering group decides on tenders during May. The programme manager will inform all applicants of results by the end of May.

A typical budget frame for projects within GINO is up to 500 kSEK.

The expected delivery is a full project report on the Energiforsk template, an executive summary on power point format as well as a project presentation at a seminar arranged by Energiforsk.

The number of projects to be chosen will be based on the number of interesting proposals.

Further information will be provided if a tender is requested.