Operating strategy for CASA 1000 project

Under a USAID-supported project, CESI is helping the CASA-1000 Secretariat to identify the best way to operate the CASA-1000 Interconnector, the biggest energy project in Central and South Asia, which will enable the transmission of electricity from hydro generation plants in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to final consumers in Pakistan, via Afghanistan.

The purpose of the project is to evaluate, develop and put in place the appropriate organisation, agreements, operating parameters, procedures, documentation, rules and regulations for the operation of the CASA‐1000 HVDC system, which includes two HVDC converter stations and an 800km DC line crossing Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with an export capacity of up to 1,300MW of electricity.

A key aspect of this plan is the development of the mandate for, and contracting of, a third party to operate the system as the DC system operator.

CESI was asked to complete the first two phases of the DC operator strategy development:

• Initial analysis and identification of alternative operating strategies, considering the technical, business, legal, regulatory and geo‐political conditions of the project
• Detailed analysis and recommendations based on comprehensive investigation

The results of both phases were presented at the CASA‐1000 Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting for countries’ comments and concurrence.

Under a parallel loan, CESI is also providing owner’s engineer services related to the construction of the two HVDC converter stations in Tajikistan and Pakistan and the ±500kV HVDC transmission line between them.