Evaluation of NERC's BRD frequency control standard in hydroelectric generation

Abstract

During decades of interconnected operation of power systems, frequency control standards have evolved to fairly share the benefits of interconnection and tie-line bias control among Balancing Authorities (BAs). The new draft standards of North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) define a frequency-dependent Balancing Authority ACE Limit (BAAL) within which BAs must control their Area Control Error (ACE). In this paper, the effects of the new draft standards in real-time Automatic Generation Control (AGC) of a hydroelectric dominated utility are modelled and assessed. Generation scheduling and real-time AGC logic based on taking maximum advantage of new wide bounds of ACE are modelled. It is shown, through dynamic simulations, that generation control under Balance Resource and Demand (BRD) standards is more efficient in term of less generation loss and unit maneuvering.