Reliability assessment of a wind integrated hydro-thermal power system

Wind energy has received widespread public support, and as a result, wind power penetration in electric power systems is increasing rapidly. The risks associated with maintaining the short-term power balance as well as long-term supply continuity can increase significantly with increase in wind power penetration due to the uncertainty in power fluctuations from wind sources. The operation of different types of generating units requires proper coordination to minimize the operating risks and to increase the utilization of wind energy. Such coordination can however significantly affect the long-term system adequacy. This paper presents reliability models in Monte Carlo simulation that incorporate coordination between thermal, hydro and wind energy sources, and can be used to evaluate renewable energy usage and the long-term system reliability. The method is applied to the IEEE Reliability Test System to assess the impact of generating unit coordination on the system adequacy and the amount of wind and hydro energy utilization. The impact of coordination on system reliability and water usage are investigated considering reservoir limitations, varying wind penetration, and wind regimes.