Computer simulation analysis of electricity rationing effects on steel mill rolling operations

This paper presents an application of computer simulation as a policy analysis tool for the electric utility industry. In the last decade, the amount of electricity generation capacity has remained constant while demand for electricity has been increasing. This situation puts industrial electricity users, those who use large highly varying quantities of electricity in potentially risky production and financial situations. In this paper, we describe a computer simulation model that examines the electricity requirements of a steel mill in a constrained electricity supply environment. By using simulation, we develop and analyze policies that quantify the costs and benefits of collaborative strategies for efficient electricity usage from both perspectives