Impacts of Dynamic Line Ratings on the ERCOT Transmission System

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the benefits of Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) in the ERCOT transmission system, showing that DLR can significantly reduce costs, renewable curtailment, and emissions compared to static ratings.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive comparison of DLR, AAR, and SLR using physics-based estimates and high-resolution weather data, introducing a new constraint generation method for security-constrained optimal power flow.

Findings

DLR can potentially double the benefits over AAR in cost savings and emissions reduction.

Employing DLR reduces renewable curtailment significantly.

DLR outperforms traditional static ratings in transmission system efficiency.

Abstract

Grid regulators and participants are paying increasing attention to Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) as a new approach to address transmission system bottlenecks. In this paper, a thorough comparison of DLR, Ambient Adjusted Ratings (AAR), and the traditional Static Line Ratings (SLR) are conducted on a synthetic ERCOT grid. Estimates of DLR and AAR are calculated using an equation based on heat balance physics, along with high-resolution weather data of temperature and wind velocities. A constraint generation method for contingency screening is developed for solving security-constrained optimal power flow. Numerical results suggest that employing DLR could double the benefits compared to those of AAR relative to SLR, in terms of system costs, renewable curtailment, and emissions.