Estimation of recovery cost with the incorporation of an IPFC in a SCUC problem

Security-constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem is solved using ABC algorithm incorporating Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC). The percentage of cost recovered with the installation of IPFC is also analyzed. The objective of the SCUC problem is to obtain the minimum operating cost simultaneously maintaining the system security. The SCUC problem involves unit commitment problem as the main problem and security-constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) as the sub problem. The prevailing generation constraints, such as hourly power demand, fuel and emission limits, system reserves, and minimum up/down time limits, ramp up/down limits, are included in the SCUC problem formulation. The capability of IPFC to control the power flow through transmission lines is discussed. The gain obtained with the installation of IPFC is demonstrated with respect to the Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) paid and the installation cost. Binary coded artificial bee colony (BABC) is used for solving the UC problem (master problem) and real coded artificial bee colony algorithm (RABC) is used for solving the SCED sub problem. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is tested and validated on an IEEE 118 bus test system and a practical South Indian 86 bus utility.