APEX user`s guide - (Argonne production, expansion, and exchange model for electrical systems), version 3.0

Abstract

This report describes operating procedures and background documentation for the Argonne Production, Expansion, and Exchange Model for Electrical Systems (APEX). This modeling system was developed to provide the U.S. Department of Energy, Division of Fossil Energy, Office of Coal and Electricity with in-house capabilities for addressing policy options that affect electrical utilities. To meet this objective, Argonne National Laboratory developed a menu-driven programming package that enables the user to develop and conduct simulations of production costs, system reliability, spot market network flows, and optimal system capacity expansion. The APEX system consists of three basic simulation components, supported by various databases and data management software. The components include (1) the investigation of Costs and Reliability in Utility Systems (ICARUS) model, (2) the Spot Market Network (SMN) model, and (3) the Production and Capacity Expansion (PACE) model. The ICARUS model provides generating-unit-level production-cost and reliability simulations with explicit recognition of planned and unplanned outages. The SMN model addresses optimal network flows with recognition of marginal costs, wheeling charges, and transmission constraints. The PACE model determines long-term (e.g., longer than 10 years) capacity expansion schedules on the basis of candidate expansion technologies and load growth estimates. In addition, the Automated Data Assembly Package (ADAP) and case management features simplify user-input requirements. The ADAP, ICARUS, and SMN modules are described in detail. The PACE module is expected to be addressed in a future publication.