Generators response during first ever FGMO Trial for frequency regulation in Bangladesh Power System

Abstract

Frequency control requires provision of primary regulation and supplementary regulation as basic requirement. Primary regulation is provided through free governor mode operation (FGMO) of generators which respond to frequency changes by varying turbine outputs. Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) is the national transmission Grid operator of Bangladesh power system (BPS). PGCB incessantly tries to maintain the balance between generation and load and adjusts generation to manage power flows through interconnected transmission lines. PGCB has no primary or supplementary control to regulate the frequency rather does it manually. Because of absence of primary control (governor action) for frequency regulation, the frequency of BPS continuously fluctuates to a big extent. Electric arc furnaces (EAF) further worsen the frequency fluctuation because of drawing power in stochastic pattern. To overcome these difficulties, PGCB strategically selects some generators from different operational zones of BPS network to conduct a weeklong real-time FGMO trial for practical understanding to a great extent. It was a first real time hands on experience for PGCB engineers that how the FGMO of generators helps to reduce the frequency fluctuation and how the generators response following the change in system frequency. This paper investigate the real time generators response from the FGMO trial on BPS network.