Rapid Method for Generation Prioritization during System Restoration with Renewable Resources

TL;DR

This paper introduces a rapid prioritization method for power system restoration that emphasizes renewable resources first, improving speed and reliability during emergency recovery scenarios.

Contribution

It proposes a novel prioritized scheduling approach that begins with renewable units, enhancing restoration efficiency amidst high renewable penetration.

Findings

Faster than MILP Unit Commitment algorithms

Validated on RTS-GMLC test system with six months of data

Effective in balancing system during high renewable integration

Abstract

Quick and reliable power system restoration is critically important after natural disasters or other sudden threats, such as cyber-attacks. Leveraging renewable resources in system restoration shortens recovery times, resulting in prevented life-loss and avoided economic-loss, and improves the resilience of the entire grid. However, it is not a common practice today; the inherent variability of these resources represents a challenge for a streamlined restoration process. This paper presents a prioritized method - starting with renewable generator units then lowering priority to conventional units - to plan the operational schedule of a power system during the restoration process. The goal is to achieve a well balanced system in the presence of significant renewable penetration. Validation and benchmarking experiments were performed on a customized version of the RTS-GMLC test system using six months out of year-long data, tested through hourly simulations. After evaluating the performance and computational costs, this method proved faster than common approaches: a MILP Unit Commitment algorithm, widely used today, and an "enable-and-try" algorithm. In summary, herein a more convenient method is provided to be utilized during time-sensitive restoration, as an online operation-planning aid.