Power system reliability
The power system reliability (sometimes grid reliability) is the probability of a normal operation of the electrical grid at a given time. Reliability indices characterize the ability of the electrical system to supply customers with electricity as needed[1] by measuring the frequency, duration, and scale of supply interruptions.[2] Traditionally two interdependent components of the power system reliability are considered:[1]
- power system adequacy, a presence in the system of sufficient amounts of generation and transmission capacity;
- power system security (also called operational reliability[3]), an ability of the system to withstand real-time contingencies (adverse events, e.g., an unexpected loss of generation capacity).[4]
Ability of the system to limit the scale and duration of a power interruption is called resiliency. The same term is also used to describe the reaction of the system to the truly catastrophic events.[4]
Economics
[edit]Electric grid is an extremely important piece of infrastructure; a single daylong nationwide power outage can shave off 0.5% of the country's GDP. The cost of improvements is also high, so in practice a balance is sought to reach an "adequate level of reliability" at an acceptable cost.[2]
Adequacy
[edit]Resource adequacy (RA, also supply adequacy) is the ability of the electric grid to satisfy the end-user power demand at any time (typically this is an issue at the peak demand).[5] For example, a sufficient unused dispatchable generation capacity and demand response resources shall be available to the electrical grid at any time so that major equipment failures (e.g., a disconnection of a nuclear power unit or a high-voltage power line) and fluctuations of power from variable renewable energy sources (e.g., due to wind dying down) can be accommodated.[4]
A typical reliability index for the adequacy is the loss of load expectation (LOLE) of one event in 10 years (one-day-in-ten-years criterion).[5] Due to the possible need for the actual addition of physical capacity, adequacy planning is long term[5] (for example, PJM Interconnection requires capacity purchases to be 4 years in advance of delivery).[6]
Security
[edit]Security is the ability of the system to keep the real-time balance of the supply and demand, in particular immediately after a contingency by automatically ramping up generation and shedding the interruptible loads. Security relies on the operating reserve. Historically, the ancillary services (e.g., the inertial response) were provided by the spinning machinery of the synchronous generators, provisioning of these services got more complicated with proliferation of the inverter-based resources (e.g., solar photovoltaics and grid batteries).[4] The typical requirement is "N-1 security" meaning that a sudden loss of one out of N major resources (a large generator or transmission line) should be pre-built into the system configuration at any time. The N-2 and N-3 contingencies refer to preparing for a simultaneous loss of, respectively, 2 or 3 major units; this is sometimes done for the critical area (e.g. downtown).[7]
Essential reliability services
[edit]North American Electric Reliability Corporation recognizes three services that have to be provided by the generation equipment in order for the grid to be reliable:
These capabilities are called essential reliability services (ERSs). If these are lacking, the grid cannot be secured. The contribution of synchronous generators toward these services is well understood.[8]
Seel also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Heylen et al. 2018, p. 22.
- ^ a b Heylen et al. 2018, p. 21.
- ^ Prada 2017, p. 5.
- ^ a b c d Geocaris 2022.
- ^ a b c Tezak 2005, p. 2.
- ^ Tezak 2005, p. 16.
- ^ Willis 2004, p. 499.
- ^ NERC 2015.
Sources
[edit]- Heylen, Evelyn; De Boeck, Steven; Ovaere, Marten; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk (26 January 2018). "Steady-State Security". Dynamic Vulnerability Assessment and Intelligent Control for Sustainable Power Systems. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. pp. 21–40. doi:10.1002/9781119214984.ch2. ISBN 9781119214984.
- Geocaris, Madeline (August 10, 2022). "Assessing Power System Reliability in a Changing Grid, Environment". NREL.gov. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- NERC (2015). "Essential Reliability Services" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- Prada, Jose Fernando (2017). Ensuring the Reliable Operation of the Power Grid: State-Based and Distributed Approaches to Scheduling Energy and Contingency Reserves (PhD). Carnegie Mellon University.
- Tezak, Christine (June 24, 2005). Resource Adequacy - Alphabet Soup! (PDF). Stanford Washington Research Group.
- Willis, H. Lee (1 March 2004). "Contingency-based planning criteria". Power Distribution Planning Reference Book, Second Edition (2 ed.). CRC Press. pp. 499–500. ISBN 978-1-4200-3031-0.
External links
[edit]- NERC. "2023 ERO Reliability Risk Priorities Report" (PDF). nerc.com. North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
