Design and implementation of a tool for assessment of secure level of wind on the Irish power system

摘要

Accommodating the highly variable power output from wind generation plant in Ireland is becoming more and more challenging for the transmission system operator, EirGrid, due to the increasing rate of connection of wind power generation to Ireland's power grid. In order to continue operating the power system in a reliable, economic and secure manner, whilst maximizing the output from wind generation, a Wind penetration Secure level Assessment Tool (WSAT) is being developed by EirGrid Plc in conjunction with Powertech Labs Inc. This tool will check the operation of the power system against a set of security criteria while increasing the amount of wind in the study case in 20 MW steps (and consequently decreasing the amount of conventional generation by the same amount). WSAT is based on Powertech Labs Inc. dynamic security assessment suite of applications and involves three main stages: thermal, voltage and transient stability analysis at each discrete power transfer step (between wind and conventional power generation) for both basecase and N-1 contingency cases. EirGrid has successfully developed a prototype version of the WSAT application and this is currently undergoing extensive tests. These investigations have verified that the core methodology works but certain refinements/improvements to the existing process are necessary before WSAT will be ready for use online in the National Control Centre (NCC). On implementation in the NCC WSAT will be used to assist the NCC grid controller in assessing the maximum secure amount of wind power that can be accepted on to the power system in real time and also over a projected time horizon of up to 24 hours. It will also provide indication of any limiting criteria (N-1 contingency overload, voltage collapse, transient stability etc).