Fuel management strategy of combined cycle power plant under uncertainty

Abstract

This paper addresses the fuel planning problem of a combined cycle power station by optimal allocation of natural gas portfolios in long term fixed contracts and short term market. The power producer solves the optimization by a two stage stochastic programming approach and minimizes the expected yearly fuel cost. The stochastic behavior of gas price in the short term market and uncertainty of load are considered in the model. The constraints include the obligation to meet load demand in every scenario and minimum/ maximum off-take limits of natural gas contracts in every time interval of the planning horizon. The risk profile of the power producer is incorporated by constraining the objective function with Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR). A case example of fuel cost minimization of power station is illustrated in this work.