On March 21, the Sichuan Energy Regulatory Office announced a public consultation regarding the Notice on Strengthening Network Security Management for New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities in Sichuan (Draft for Comments). The document states that the scope of network security management for virtual power plants should include the virtual power plant management platform, communication devices for distributed energy resources (which encompass distributed generation, energy storage, adjustable loads, etc.), control terminals, and related software and hardware facilities involved in grid scheduling and operational control. Additionally, power sources connected to virtual power plants must adhere to the network security management requirements for grid-connected power sources, and the overall operation management requirements of the virtual power plants must be executed. The details are as follows:
The Sichuan Energy Regulatory Office has publicly solicited opinions on the Notice on Strengthening Network Security Management for New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities in Sichuan (Draft for Comments). This initiative is in line with the National Energy Administration’s notice on enhancing the network security capabilities of new energy and new grid-connected entities to support the high-quality development of the new power system (Guonengfa Anquan [2024] No. 79) and the related meeting directives. The consultation period runs from March 22, 2025, to April 20, 2025. Feedback can be sent via email to scnyjgbaqc@163.com. We appreciate your participation and support!
Attachments:
1. Notice on Strengthening Network Security Management for New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities in Sichuan (Draft for Comments)
2. Feedback Form
Issued by the Sichuan Energy Regulatory Office on March 21, 2025.
Attachment 1: Notice on Strengthening Network Security Management for New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities in Sichuan (Draft for Comments)
To all city (prefecture) power safety regulatory departments and power enterprises:
In order to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on production safety, deeply promote the “Four Revolutions, One Cooperation” energy security strategy, and follow the Guidance on Strengthening the Stability of the Power System under New Conditions (Fagai Nengyuan [2023] No. 1294), Guidance on Enhancing Power Grid Peak-Shaving Energy Storage and Intelligent Scheduling Capacity, and the Notice on Enhancing Network Security Capabilities of New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities to Support the High-Quality Development of the New Power System (Guonengfa Anquan [2024] No. 79), we aim to enhance the network security capabilities of new energy and new grid-connected entities, scientifically define the scope of network security management, and effectively strengthen network security management to ensure the safe and stable operation of Sichuan’s power grid.
1. Responsibilities
City (prefecture) and county-level power safety regulatory departments must adhere to the principle of “those who manage the industry must also manage safety,” strictly enforce local regulatory responsibilities, and supervise power dispatching institutions to ensure effective network security management for new energy and new grid-connected entities. Regular inspections should be conducted to identify and rectify safety hazards within the region’s power enterprises, ensuring that network security requirements are effectively implemented.
The owners (units) of new energy and new grid-connected entities included in the network security management scope are the primary responsible entities for network security management. They must strictly fulfill safety responsibilities, comply with unified dispatching by power dispatching institutions, and adhere to network security management regulations to meet the system’s safety and stability requirements.
Power grid enterprises should enhance risk management for power grid security to ensure safe grid connections for new energy and new grid-connected entities. They should also supervise and guide the owners (units) of these entities in fulfilling their network security responsibilities.
Power dispatching institutions must strictly execute their responsibilities regarding grid connection management, operational control, risk management, and technical supervision of network security. They should strengthen the unified dispatch management of new energy and new grid-connected entities, clarify grid connection requirements and management processes in accordance with national laws and technical standards, and conduct preliminary reviews of participating entities’ connection systems, ensuring strict control over network devices.
Provincial-level power dispatching institutions will lead the organization of inspections and summaries of existing new energy and new grid-connected entities that are included in the network security management scope but do not currently meet the management requirements. Under the guidance of various levels of power safety regulatory departments, these entities will be urged to develop scientific transformation plans, with reports on inspection results and transformation plans to be submitted to the Sichuan Energy Regulatory Office and the Sichuan Provincial Energy Bureau by April 30 and May 30, respectively. Any major issues must be reported promptly.
2. Management Scope
(a) Basic Principles: Unified dispatching and hierarchical management. New energy and new grid-connected entities that sign grid dispatch agreements with power dispatching institutions shall be included in the network security management scope. The dispatch agreement must include key contents and responsibilities regarding network security management for both power grid enterprises and generation enterprises. Upper-level dispatching institutions should guide lower-level dispatching institutions in managing network security for included entities. Entities not yet included in the management scope must strictly fulfill their network security responsibilities, following relevant regulations, while power grid enterprises should strengthen grid connection management.
(b) Entities Included in the Network Security Management Scope: This includes solar photovoltaic power plants, wind farms, and photovoltaic systems connected to the grid at voltage levels of 10kV and above; electrochemical energy storage stations with a capacity of 10MW and a minimum of 20MWh, or electrochemical energy storage stations connected to the public grid at voltage levels of 10kV and above; other new types of storage such as compressed air and flywheels shall be managed accordingly; adjustable loads (such as virtual power plants and load aggregators) with a capacity of no less than 5MW, an upward or downward adjustment capacity of no less than 5MW, and a minimum duration of one hour. Other new energy and new grid-connected entities will be evaluated by power dispatching institutions in conjunction with power grid enterprises based on entity type, capacity, connection voltage level, operational characteristics, and safety requirements to determine if they shall follow network security management requirements.
(c) Devices Included in the Network Security Management Scope: For centralized wind and photovoltaic sites, the management scope includes generation equipment, collection lines, substation equipment, and relevant relay protection, stability control devices, and communication equipment, as well as transmission lines and related equipment from the substation to the grid connection point. For distributed energy, the scope includes generation units, grid connection point switches in the distribution network, metering devices, protection equipment, and related communication and monitoring devices. For new energy storage, the scope includes management systems (like BMS), energy management systems (EMS), storage inverters (PCS), step-up transformers, relevant control and protection equipment, and communication and metering devices connected to the grid.
Virtual power plants should include within their management scope the virtual power plant management platform, communication devices for distributed energy resources (including distributed generation, energy storage, adjustable loads, etc.), control terminals, and related software and hardware facilities that participate in grid scheduling and operational control. Power sources connected within the virtual power plant must adhere to the requirements for grid-connected power sources, and the overall operational management requirements of the virtual power plant must be followed.
3. Key Tasks
Network security management should comprehensively consider the impacts of various types of grid-connected entities on power balance, frequency stability, voltage regulation, power quality, system inertia, and short-circuit capacity, as well as the effects of load-type grid-connected entities on load characteristics and demand response capabilities. There should be enhanced management of related equipment safety, control strategies, technical specifications, and operational parameters, focusing on meeting the technical standards and specifications related to grid-source coordination, ensuring the safety operation of the regional power grid, maintaining network security for monitoring systems, and managing network risks. This includes responsibility implementation, network performance, parameter management, grid connection, operational management, and transforming existing entities’ network performance, as detailed in the key tasks list for network security management of new energy and new grid-connected entities (attached).
4. Work Requirements
Strengthening network security management for new energy and new grid-connected entities is a long-term, systemic, and comprehensive task. It serves as the foundation and premise for the high-quality development of the new power system. All grid-connected entities must prioritize network security management, closely align with the objectives of energy transition and power supply assurance under new conditions, and adopt a strong sense of responsibility and mission. They should innovate safety management models, effectively control safety risks, and resolutely prevent network safety incidents.
All city (prefecture) power management departments are requested to forward this notice to their respective county-level power safety regulatory departments and implement the relevant requirements at all levels.
Attachment: Key Tasks List for Network Security Management of New Energy and New Grid-Connected Entities
