4

Power System Management
EECS 4460/5460-901

Lecture #14

Electricity Public Policy Issues

1

Adequate and reliable power supply (generation)
Quantity of supply
Quality of supply
Response to events

Adequate and reliable power delivery (transmission and distribution)
Capacity of the system to deliver power
Reliability of the system
Response to events

Utility Operational Fundamentals –
“Keeping the Lights On”
Outline a typical power system

Control Area Concept
Control area 1

Control area 2
Control area 3
ACE (Area Control Error)

Criteria: Adequate and reliable power supply
Real-time generation to meet the load
Adequate reserves, including real-time
Voltage and frequency control
Coordinate planned outages and maintenance
Respond to unplanned plant or interconnection outages

Functions:
Generation dispatch – directs and schedules generation – economically
AGC (Automatic Generation Control) – adjusting power output in response to changing conditions to maintain frequency and voltage
Contingency analysis and communications

Utility Operational Fundamentals

Simplified AGC Scheme

Adequate real-time reserves
Unplanned plant outages
Extreme hot or cold weather
Major storms
Fuel supply challenges
Operating with intermittent resources

Power Supply Reliability Operational Issues*
*Examples in the next lecture – Grid Operations

Criteria: Adequate and reliable transmission grid
Operate system within its ratings and limits
“Situational Awareness” with contingencies
Coordinate planned outages and maintenance
Respond to unplanned line or plant outages
“Black start” capability

Functions:
Transmission operator – functionally operates the grid
Model and monitor contingencies (“N-1’)
Contingency analysis and communications
“SCADA” – Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition”

Utility Operational Fundamentals

Historically, people operated the electric system – manned stations, monitoring, circuit breaker controls, relay protection systems

1960’s: Information communications developed; radios and power line carrier

1970’s: Logic controllers to replace relays (first in the automotive industry)

1980’s: Standard Communications protocols

1990’s to today: System automation via programmable computerized networks
SCADA Basics

Early SCADA Implementation

Today’s SCADA Functional Diagram

Transmission Control Center (NYISO)

Continuous Technology Upgrades (PJM)

Highly Automated Distribution Control Centers

Criteria: Adequate and reliable distribution grid
Operate system within its limits
Minimize customer disruptions
Coordinate planned outages and maintenance
Respond to unplanned outages
Accommodate public projects and new load

Functions:
Distribution substation operator – past approach
Automated responses to minimizing customer outages
Rapid response to outages

Utility Operational Fundamentals

Distribution Circuits Often Networked for Reliability

Distribution Fault Devices are Coordinated

Recloser

Sectionalizer

Distribution Devices for Reliability
Fuse Cutout

Lightning Arrester

Capacitors

Distribution
Transformer
Pothead

Substantial debate for decades
Revisited during Hurricane Sandy – weather resiliency
Can be reliability issues with underground as well
What is the cost of reliability?

Underground Transmission
97% of U.S. transmission is overhead
Costs range from 4-14 times overhead
Typical 138kv @ 390k$/mi vs. $2M/mi
Higher maintenance costs; potential environmental impact

Underground Distribution
41% of Europe is Underground; New U.S. is about 25%
Common in residential and commercial areas
Costs range from 2-5 times overhead
“Who pays? Government, Developer, individual customer, Ratepayers
Higher maintenance costs; potential environmental impact
Underground vs. Overhead

Government and Industry Coordination
Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC)
DOE, DHS, FEMA and Utility CEO’s

Regional Mutual Assistance Groups (RMAG’s) for storms with national implications

Hurricane Irma – 60,000 workers from U.S. and Canada
Storm Restoration has become Highly Organized

Storm Response as Part of Operations

Typical checklist for
storm preparation

Areas in red are often
a challenge

Power plants
Damage assessment and restoration; nuclear priority

Transmission lines
Based on grid reliability and customers served

Substations
Based on grid reliability and customers served

Essential services
Public health and safety – hospitals, nursing homes, police fire, water systems

Large Service areas
Largest number of customers in least amount of time

Individual homes
Safety, damage assessment and restoration
Power Restoration Priorities

Storm Tracking Has Become Much More Sophisticated

Real Time Outage Data on Utility Websites is Common

Public Policy Continued
Conservative grid operations
Industry events and regulation
Energy policy – federal and state
Merchant generation
Evolution of power markets
Changing business structures
Renewable policies
ISO’s, RTO’s and NERC

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