Optimal Operation Scheduling of Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant and Thermal Power Plants in Power System with a Large Penetration of Photovoltaic Generations

Abstract

In recent years, a substantial amount of photovoltaic (PV) generations have been installed in power systems. However, the power output from the PV is random and intermittent in nature. Therefore, the PV generation poses many challenges to the power system operation. To evaluate the impact of the behavior of PV on power supply reliability, we have developed a power supply reliability evaluation model considering a large integration of PV generation into power system. As a result, the power supply reliability is getting worse as the PV penetration level increases. To solve this issue, we have proposed that pumped storage hydro power plant (PSHPP) is used effectively to improve the reliability. In this paper a cooperative scheduling method for the PSHPP and thermal power plants that makes it possible to improve both reliability and economy is presented. being considered as a solution in most situations. This paper proposes an effective use of Pumped Storage Hydro Power Plant (PSHPP). PSHPP is installed originally for hot reserve of the power system and load leveling. The energy is stored in the form of water pumped up from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir. The PSHPP is usually operated as a generator in the daytime and a pump in the nighttime. A new operation scheduling of PSHPP is proposed to solve the problem in this paper. It will be operated with the proposed pattern solving the surplus power problem caused by the PV generation. The authors have already proposed how the PSHPP operation pattern is changed effectively to improve the power system reliability in case of a large integration of PV into the power system (1). However, the scheduling method for obtaining the optimal PSHPP operation pattern that makes it possible to improve both reliability and economy has not been developed yet. In this paper, we propose a new method for planning PSHPP operation pattern considering the surplus power problem, power supply reliability and fuel cost reduction, which is represented by pareto optimal solutions. The power supply reliability and the fuel cost are estimated for each PSHPP operation plan by using Monte Carlo simulation.