Least cost planning for system expansion in Eastern Europe

With the break up of the Communist system in Eastern Europe, the electricity supply networks of the countries of Eastern Europe were characterised by low efficiency, low availability, poor maintenance and high costs. Those responsible for the supply of electrical energy realised that key to industrial reconstruction must be the provision of a reliable, affordable electricity supply. The building of new power stations is sometimes the only solution to cope with increased demand. Many options present themselves to those responsible for the extension of system capacity. The process of choosing the most acceptable alternative is usually termed “least cost expansion planning” and is the subject of this paper