EU-DEMO is a European project, having the ambitious goal to be the first demonstrative power plant based on nuclear fusion. The electrical power that is expected to be produced is in the order of 700–800 MW, to be delivered via a connection to the European High Voltage electrical grid. The initiation and control of fusion processes, besides the problems related to the nuclear physics, need very complex electrical systems. Moreover, also the conversion of the output power is not trivial, especially because of the inherent discontinuity in the EU-DEMO operations. The present article concerns preliminary studies for the feasibility and realization of the nuclear fusion power plant EU-DEMO, with a special focus on the power electrical systems. In particular, the first stage of the study deals with the survey and analysis of the electrical loads, starting from the steady-state loads. Their impact is so relevant that could jeopardy the efficiency and the convenience of the plant itself. Afterwards, the loads are inserted into a preliminary internal distribution grid, sizing the main electrical components to carry out the power flow analysis, which is based on simulation models implemented in the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software.

This paper focuses on the state-of-the-art of unit commitment (UC) and economic dispatch (ED) algorithms suitable for the Italian electricity market. In view of the spread of renewable energy systems (RES), the desired UC algorithm should be able to properly consider the uncertainty affecting key input variables into the formulation of the problem, as well as the different capabilities of dispatched power plants to provide ancillary services (e.g., voltage regulation). The goal of this paper is to resume the developments in UC and ED algorithms which occurred in the last decades, having a particular focus on alternating current (AC) security constrained (SC) approaches and stochastic ones, highlighting the advantages and weakness of each technique. This review is useful for the Italian TSO (Terna) to investigate what is the best solution to formulate a new algorithm to be potentially adopted in the framework of the Italian Ancillary Service Market, striving for an explicit modelization of stochastic variables and voltage constraints. This review is also useful to all system operators (SOs), independently to the market environment in which they operate, because UC algorithms are widely adopted to ensure real-time security of power systems. In conclusion, an SC-UC algorithm which takes into account both stochastic variables and AC formulation does not exist.

EU-DEMO is a European project for the design and construction of the first nuclear reactor able to produce electrical energy thanks to thermonuclear fusion reactions. The electrical power system of this facility is particular demanding for several reasons. First, the electrical power required to operate DEMO is expected to be huge, especially in comparison to a conventional nuclear plant. Moreover, the operations are intrinsically intermittent, thus introducing specific problems in terms of energy balance and grid stability. This paper deals with a first preliminary study about the sizing and the design of the DEMO internal electrical power system, with a specific focus on the steady-state loads necessary to operate the plant. The design results are obtained and verified through a model for power flow analysis, implemented in DIgSILENT PowerFactory.

The EU-DEMO (EUropean DEMOnstration Power Plant) fusion reactor is one of the most ambitious energy projects aiming at demonstrating the feasibility of nuclear fusion to be a clean, safe, and sustainable source of energy. The distribution grid of the DEMO facility plays a crucial role in delivering the net generated power to the European transmission grid, so it is imperative for its operation to be reliable. The proper design of the electrical subsystems within the fusion power plant is a fundamental factor that must be considered to guarantee reliable and secure operations. This paper presents the models and the results of a sensitivity analysis on the design and sizing of the components of DEMO electrical power system, under different operating conditions, exploiting a Monte Carlo-based Probabilistic Power Flow methodology. This approach was selected to assess the impact of uncertainties on DEMO steady-state power distribution grid and to identify the critical components, which need special requests in their design. The results of the sensitivity analysis can provide valuable insights for the design and sizing of the distribution system of the facility.