GCCIA joins GO-15 power grid

30/09/2014 02:28 AST

The GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) yesterday officially announced that it had joined the GO-15 Reliable and Sustainable Power Grids, which represents 80 percent of total global demand on electricity.

GO-15 includes other major networks like MISO and PJM in the US, National Grid in UK, REE in Spain, RTE in France, Terna in Italy, Eskorn in South Africa, in addition to networks in Brazil, Australia, India, China, South Korea, Japan, Russia and Belgium.

The announcement coincided with the Second GCC Executive Roundtable meeting on Power Trade held yesterday, on the concluding day of Third Regional Power Trade Forum in Abu Dhabi. The meeting was inaugurated by Adnan bin Ibrahim Al Muhaisin, CEO, GCCIA and attended by CEOs of various GCC authorities specialised in power trade.

GO-15 provides electricity to 3.4 billion consumers on six continents and is responsible for integration of 2518 GW of generation capacity into the grid, of which 21 percent is from renewable energy sources. GO15 was created in 2004 following several blackouts across the world to investigate fundamental issues of common interest to its members and to develop joint action plans addressing improvement of power system security. In 2009, GO15 became a formal organisation.

Daniel Dobbeni, Chairman, GO-15, said: “We welcome the GCC Interconnection Authority to GO-15 and assure that it would be beneficial for a wide range of consumers in the six GCC States. We have been briefed on the vision and missions of GCCIA which are consistent with our vision of innovative thinking, technology advancement and industry leadership.” 

The Peninsula