Optimal Power Flow Reserves Overview

See Also

 

The OPF Reserves tool in PowerWorld Simulator is only available if you have purchased the OPF Reserves and OPF add-ons to the base package. To learn more about the OPF Reserves, please read through the information contained in these help files. Contact PowerWorld Corporation for details about ordering the OPF and OPF Reserves version of Simulator.

In order to prevent load disconnections and loss of stability during normal operation or in the case of unexpected events, power systems should operate with an adequate level of Reserve. Reserve is an ancillary service needed for the successful operation of the system and the electricity market. This service can be obtained in a regulated, mandatory manner, or it can be provided by an Ancillary Services Reserves Market. Simulator OPF Reserves is the tool used to simulate Ancillary Services Reserve Markets.

In the Reserves Market, the generators (and sometimes loads) supply bids to sell the ability to take demand (increase their output) in a fast manner if called to do so. While an energy-only market has only one product, active energy, the Reserves Market includes the energy product and several reserve services: regulating, spinning and supplemental reserve. Similar to electricity markets for energy, which deal with active power, the reserve market focuses only on active power reserves.

The optimal power flow (OPF) algorithm by itself is able to simulate energy-only electricity markets by determining the minimum cost or minimum control change dispatch subject to normal operation constraints. The OPF Reserves considers special OPF Reserve Constraints at the area and zone level, and OPF Reserve Controls provided by generators or loads. OPF Reserves will thus simultaneously co-optimize energy and reserve and maximize total social surplus producing both energy (LMP) and Reserve Marginal Clearing Prices (RMCP).

The commands and options for the OPF Reserves are integrated with the OPF tool.