In the period between 1997 and 2000, attempts were made to implement a project that would allow the supply of cheap electricity (approx. US$ 20 / MWh) from the Russian (RAO-SS-Rossii) and Ukrainian (Ukreenergo) power grids into the Romanian power grid.
The networking of the systems could only take place through a back-to-back station (B2B), i.e. switching from alternating current to direct current, and then back again.
During the aforementioned period, the following companies participated in this project:
- Verbund APG Austria
- E.ON and RWE from Germany
- Transelectrica and Termoelectrica from Romania
- Ukrenergo from Ukraine
- RAO-ESS-Rossi from Russia
- INPEC ENGINEERING GmbH / SRL from Germany and Romania
The solution discussed was to supply the Ukrainian electricity with only 400 kV through the 750-kV cable to the 750/400 kV Isaccea Station, Romania, where a B2B station would be installed in order to allow the transmission of 600 MW. The B2B station could then have been enlarged to 1200 MW.
The design of the B2B was planned to utilise converted elements from the 400-kV Vienna South Station, Austria, and the Etzenricht Station, Germany, which were operating as B2B stations with the Hungarian and Czech power grids.
The feasibility study produced with the direct participation of the companies E.ON, Verbund, INPEC, and indirectly by RWE, showed that the optimal solution would be the construction of the B2B within the 750/400-kV Isaccea Station.
It should be emphasised here that INPEC with its technical personnel contributed to the preparation of technical solutions for the installation of the systems from the 400-kV Vienna South Station and from Etzenricht in the 750/400-kV Isaccea Station, and that they handled the coordination of the negotiations between the representatives of the five countries (Romania, Austria, Germany, Russia and Ukraine).
The project ultimately was not realised, because the 750-kV cable suffered from operational disturbances on Ukrainian territory, to rectify which additional funds would have been required. In addition, the Russian partner hoped towards the end of the negotiations for direct connection of the Russian grid to UCPTE, in order to allow direct supply of electricity.