AN OPTIMAL REAL-TIME SHORT-TERM OPERATION OF INDEPENDENT HYDRO GENERATOR COMPANY IN THE OPEN ELECTRICITY MARKET

This paper describes an approach to short-term hydro scheduling and di spatch for the independent hydro generator in the Open Electricity Mar ket (OEM) environment. The paper discusses optimal operation of hydro electric power plants and possible control arrangements in the OEM env ironment. The algorithm currently used by the Hydro Electric Commissio n, which operates as an isolated purely hydro system, has been modifie d to suit any independent hydro generation company. It also provides a different perspective for operation of hydro power plants as part of a hydrothermal system and can also be used for hydro optimisation in h ydrothermal systems. The algorithm uses a detailed model of the interc onnected hydro system to determine the half-hourly operating schedule based on allocated water releases with the objective of maximising ove rall return from the market. The plan is revised and updated every fiv e minutes as actual generation requirements and inflows change. This e nsures continuous real-time optimisation which is necessary for contin uously changing spot prices and inflows into reservoirs. The concept i s developed for a decentralised market (as in Australia), but the conc ept can be used in a centralised dispatched market or centrally planne d systems for the optimisation of hydro resources. (C) 1997 Elsevier S cience S.A.