Strategy & System Planning Department (SSPD)

The Strategy & System Planning Department reports to the General Directorate of Technology, System Development & Strategy of IPTO.

Its key mission is: 

1. the preparation and drafting of the Ten-Year Network Development Plan (TYNDP) of the System, in cooperation with IPTO services, on the basis of the fundamental criteria of the country's supply with electricity in a manner that is adequate, safe, efficient and reliable, under economically viable conditions, to the benefit of society and the environment;
2. the design and planning of the electrical interconnections of non-interconnected islands, international interconnections as well as the necessary infrastructures that will allow the increased penetration of Renewable Energy Sources into the country's electrical system; 
3. the issuance of offers for the Connection of power plants (conventional and RES) to the System and the conclusion of the relevant Connection Agreements, thus contributing in the effective incorporate of Renewable Energy Sources into the System in accordance with the objectives and data of the National Plan for Energy and Climate (ESEK) for 2030 and the Long-Term Strategy for 2050.

Role and Responsibilities 

The SSPD consists of two Sectors:  

1. the System Designs & Development Sector, with main responsibilities the drafting and publication of the Ten-Year Network Development Plan of the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System (HETS), the preparation of capacity adequacy studies on a mid-term and long-term horizon, market research, cost-benefit studies for major system development projects, system development studies and special studies, monitoring developments in the regulatory framework related to the development and exploitation of the System in Greece and monitoring the relevant international developments, participation in cooperation with other Departments in the preparation of the necessary studies, reports and supporting material for the submission of co-financing requests for IPTO projects to EU and national bodies, financial institutions and their monitoring until their final inclusion for co-financing, contribution in the framework of ENTSO-E in the formulation of the European Ten-Year Network Development Plan and the regional development plan for Southeast Europe.
2. the System Users & RES Scheduling sector with main responsibilities the determination of the criteria and technical requirements for the interconnection of RES stations, the issuance of new user connection offers (large producers of conventional units, RES producers, high-voltage customers) and the conclusion of corresponding connection contracts. 

The SSPD has permanent participation in the System Development Committee (SDC), and the Regional Group Continental South East Europe (RG-CSE) of ENTSO-E, as well as the Mediterranean Transmission System Operator association (Med-TSO). Members of Management take part in a number of research programmes (Horizon 2020, Flexitranstore, Crossbow, CoordiNet, FARCROSS)  and in ad-hoc groups with neighbouring country Operators for developing international interconnections.  

Successes, achievements, innovations  

The SSPD has prepared plans for the electrical interconnection of all the large islands of the Aegean, to be implemented by 2029. It specifically studied the electrical interconnection of the Cyclades islands, with the first phases of the project already completed, the electrical interconnection of Crete, a project currently under way, and it recently completed the preparation of plans for the electrical interconnection of the Dodecanese and the islands of the North-eastern Aegean. At the same time, the SSPD participated as a representative of IPTO in working groups of the Ministry of Environment and Energy for the preparation of the National Plan for Energy and Climate and issued studies on the adequacy and operation of the electrical system and studies to identify the infrastructures needed for reaching the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) targets.

The SSPD, in the framework of its responsibilities, has also issued Binding Connection Offers for RES and CHP Stations, of a total capacity of more than 8000 MW, in addition to those in operation, and additional Non-Binding Connection Offers for RES and CHP Stations of a total capacity of more than 20000 MW; further, more than 215 connection contracts with System Users have been concluded, covering capacity of more than 4500 MW. Network studies will soon be prepared for the incorporation increased RES penetration and the phase-out of lignite, in accordance with the National Plan for Energy and Climate. 

A key priority of the Department is also the integration and implementation of the European Connection Network Codes (RfG, DCC, HVDC), through the adaptation of the Connection Offer issue process to the relevant requirements and the formulation of processes for the compliance certification mechanism for power plants and the demand installations (HV Customers, Network), in accordance with the requirements of these Codes. 

It is also worth mentioning the Department's intensive efforts to leverage the potential of technology, by digitizing a large part of its operations with the aim of accelerating the procedures for the issue of connection offers and the conclusion of connection contracts. As a result, procedures have already been implemented for the digital signing of contracts, the acceptance of User requests and the dispatch of response letters in electronic format and a web application has been developed for monitoring User connection offers and contracts.

Finally, the SSPD is monitoring modern trends internationally adopted in Electricity Systems, aspiring to include them into IPTO’s corporate practices, for example:

• Zero or low greenhouse gas emission technologies for addressing climate change
• Production of clean and cheap energy, combined with an increase of the dispersed production and the critical role which the storage systems can take on. 
• Development of close cooperation between Transmission System and Distribution Network Operators
• Digitization of energy system 
• Expansion of electricity used in transport and buildings