Long-Term Optimal Operation of Hydrothermal Power Systems

Abstract

The problem treated in the previous chapters was concerned with a pure hydro power system, where we maximized either the total benefits from the system (benefits from the hydro generation plus benefits from the amount of water left in storage at the end of the planning period) or the total firm hydro energy capability for the system. We discussed almost all techniques used to solve these problems. Most of the utility companies have a combination of hydro and thermal power plants to supply the required load on the system, where the hydro power plants are used to supply the base load, since they cost nothing to run (almost all the running costs are very small compared to those of thermal plants), while the thermal plants are used to supply the peak load, since these loads occur for a small period of time with peak demand.