DST’s First International Milestone with IESCO
DST is proud to announce the successful and timely delivery of its first international project—a comprehensive grid impact and hosting capacity study for Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO). This milestone reflects DST’s growing capability to deliver complex, standards-driven engineering solutions for utilities operating in rapidly evolving power systems.
The project focused on assessing the impact of distributed rooftop Solar PV integration on distribution networks and defining hosting capacity limits to ensure safe, reliable, and scalable renewable energy adoption.
Engineering Methodology Aligned with International Standards
To deliver accurate and actionable outcomes, DST applied a multi-stage analytical methodology aligned with IEEE 1547 interconnection standards.
Data Integrity & Validation
DST established a strong analytical foundation by developing a complete inventory of distribution feeders and PV installations using IESCO’s system data. A rigorous QA/QC framework was applied to validate feeder characteristics, loading conditions, and network topology, ensuring all models accurately reflected real-world operating conditions.
Advanced Distribution Network Modeling
Rooftop PV systems and distributed energy resources (DERs) were mapped into Synergi distribution models. Where granular data was unavailable, utility-approved modeling assumptions were applied to maintain realistic and conservative PV penetration scenarios.
Hosting Capacity Evaluation
Multiple scenarios—with and without PV—were simulated to identify feeder-level hosting capacity limits, with particular emphasis on reverse power flow constraints.
Power Quality & System Stability
Detailed studies were conducted to evaluate:
- Reactive power behavior
- Voltage rise and fluctuation
- Harmonic distortion
- Thermal loading of distribution assets
Stress Testing Under Minimum Load Conditions
To assess worst-case operational risk, DST applied a conservative load allocation approach using 15% of peak demand, ensuring network resilience during low-load, high-generation periods.
Strategic Policy Development for Sustainable Integration
Beyond technical analysis, DST delivered a customized PV injection policy for IESCO. Benchmarked against international best practices, the policy balances grid reliability, customer equity, and renewable energy growth, supporting Pakistan’s transition toward a low-carbon and resilient energy future.
A Milestone for DST’s Global Engineering Vision
This project represents a significant step forward in DST’s international journey. It demonstrates DST’s ability to combine deep technical expertise, global standards, and strategic insight to support utilities navigating grid modernization and renewable integration challenges.
DST remains committed to enabling safe, reliable, and future-ready power systems worldwide.