Modeling Considerations for the Long-Term Generation and Transmission Expansion Power System Planning Problem

Abstract

Judicious Power System Planning ensures the adequacy of infrastructure to support continuous reliability and economy of power system operations. Planning processes have a long and rather successful history in the United States, but the recent infl‚ux of unpredictable, nondispatchable generation such as Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) necessitates the re-evaluation of the merit of planning methodologies in the changing power system context. Traditionally, planning has followed a logical progression through generation, transmission, reactive power, and finally auxiliary system planning using expertise and ranking schemes. However, it is challenging to incorporate all of the inherent dependencies between expansion candidates' system impacts using these schemes. Simulation based optimization provides a systematic way to explore acceptable expansion plans and choose one or several "best" plans while considering those complex dependencies.

Using optimization to solve the minimum-cost, reliability-constrained Generation and Transmission Expansion Problem (GTEP) is not a new concept, but the technology is not mature. This work inspects: load uncertainty modeling; sequential (GEP then TEP) versus unified (GTEP) models; and analyzes the impact on the methodologies achieved near-optimal plan. A sensitivity simulation on the original system and final, upgraded system is performed.