Transferring Power Sectors from Aging Utilities into Smart Grids-The Case of Lebanon

Abstract

The substantial increases in the energy consumption during the second half of the last century have amplified the use of fossil fuels in various economic sectors, mainly the power sector. Also, the low-efficient technologies still adopted in many countries have mounted the losses associated with various energy conversion processes to substantial levels. Tasks and challenges associated with transferring power sectors from energy-wasting utilities into advanced smart grid-based utilities are discussed in this article. To transfer the Lebanese dilapidated and aging electrical power sector into a modern economically profitable sector, adopted two major projects have been adopted: the Lebanese Electrical Network Control Center and the Advanced Metering Infrastructure. This article explains the outcomes and impacts of the major components of these two projects; it article also discusses the problems encountered during the implementation process of the Lebanese Electrical Network Control Center, where several original software packages have been modified by the research team to properly integrate the Lebanese Electrical Network Control Center with the aging Lebanese power sector. Finally, the article describes the controlled design project, which also has been implemented as part of the Lebanese Electrical Network Control Center project and highlights problems associated with upgrading the high-voltage transmission lines. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.