POWER

SYSTEM
ECONOMIC
OPERATION
Integrated Power Systems
Economic Load Dispatch
Unit Commitment

Topics

Why Power Systems Economic Operation

Economic Load Dispatch
Unit Commitment
What is the difference between Economic
Load Dispatch and Unit Commitment

Economic
Dispatch

Definition
Pre-Dispatch (Planning for Tomorrow's
Dispatch)
Dispatch (Dispatching the Power System
Today/Short Term Scheduling)
Instantaneous (Activities in Real Time )
Different Techniques Used for ELD
calculation
Case Study
Economic Dispatch In Integrated Power
Systems

Definition

The definition of economic dispatch provided in

EPAct section 1234 is [1]
The operation of generation facilities to
produce energy at the lowest cost to reliably
serve consumers, recognizing any
operational limits of generation and
transmission facilities.
In Book the definition is :
Economic dispatch is the short -term
determination of the optimal output of the
number of electricity generation facilities to
meet the system load, at the lowest possible
cost, while serving power to the public in a
robust and reliable manner.

[1 ]Economic Dispatch: Concepts, Practices and Issues, Presentation to the Joint Board ,FERC Staf

Difference
Between
Unit
Commitmen
t and ELD

Pre-Dispatch (Planning for Tomorrow's Dispatch)

Can be done a week ahead or just before the day of
operation. Hourly based schedule is decided based on the
load forecast and then Generating units selected based on
operating limits and individual operating characteristics .
Reliability assessment is also done to ensure the smooth
operation .
Dispatch (Dispatching the Power System Today/Short Term
Scheduling)
Done 30 minutes before timing . Transmission operator
based on system load flow and economic load schedule
and take necessary actions like reactive load balance or
load shedding . Also need to adequate spinning reserve in
the system in case of emergency .
Instantaneous (Activities in Real Time )
Activities done 5 minutes before the operation . Operator
through real time monitoring need to maintain voltage
levels , frequency and other factors under NERC guidelines
and take necessary action for proper system functioning .

Techniques
for ELD
Solution

Due to increase in complexity of constraints ,

ELD need to calculated quickly over the
period of time different algorithms were
developed

Traditional Methods

Intelligent Methods

Lambda Iteration

Evolutionary Programming
,Simulated Annealing

Gradient Search Method

Dynamic Programming

Newton Method

Hopfield Neural Network

Linear Programming

Genetic Algorithm (GA)

,Differential Evolution

Base point and participation

factor

Particle Swarm Optimization

BFA, QEAS,BBP

Unit
Commitme
nt

Objective Function
Fuel Cost
Start Up Cost ( Always considered)
Shut Down Cost (Not Significant to other factors
Constraints in Unit Commitment
Demand-Supply Balance and Spinning Reserve
Minimum Up and Down Time Constraints on Thermal Units
Generation Limits
Must Run Units
Crew Constraints
UC: Additional Issues
Multi Area UC
Fuel Constrained UC
Ramp Rate Constraint on Thermal unit
Transmission Constraints
Environmental Issues

Software
Modules

Plexsos by Energy Exemplar ( used by ISO

for day-ahead planning , real-time ,spot
market bidding , resources optimization)
PROMOD IV by ABB used for Integrated
Generation and Transmission market
simulation of the system . Includes modules
like Generator operating characteristics ,
load modelling , transactions ,unit
commitments .

Economic Load Dispatch & Policies and new technology

Variable
generation
resources;

Energy
storage

Environmen
tal
regulations

The
production
tax credit

Demand
response
and

Market
structure

Market
power

2014/2015 ECONOMIC DISPATCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE REPORT TO C