Real-time economic dispatch and reserve allocation using merit order loading and linear programming rules

The author presents a real-time economic dispatch algorithm suitable for online generation control and for study programs. The method is based on the rules of linear programming and the classical method of merit order loading. The basis for the algorithm is shown as a natural progression of classical optimization algorithms. Comparison with linear programming is included to exhibit the flexibility of the algorithm. The inclusion of a constraint for a unit or for a system-wide margin (e.g. spinning reserve) is shown. The procedure is fast, in part because the simplex tableau is not explicitly stored. The method is shown in pseudo-code. This method is very suitable for real-time economic dispatch on any energy management system. The method requires little computer resource and is appropriate for personal-computer implementation as part of a back-up automatic generation control system. The algorithm has been tested on data provided by Indianapolis Power and Light Company and has been programmed on a 80286 personal computer