Improved genetic algorithm for economic load dispatch in hydropower plants and comprehensive performance comparison with dynamic programming method

摘要

Highlights?We give an improved genetic algorithm for economic load dispatch in hydropower plants.?The method avoids running turbines in the cavitation/vibration zone, saving costs.?Performance is evaluated and compared with that of dynamic programming (DP) method.?Evaluation approach considers accuracy, speed, and stability (convergence rate).?Application studied was Three Gorges Hydropower Plant, China (26 turbines).AbstractThis paper presents a practical genetic algorithm (GA)-based solution for solving the economic load dispatch problem (ELDP) and further compares the performance of the improved GA (IGA) with that of dynamic programming (DP). Specifically, their performance is comprehensively evaluated in terms of addressing the ELDP through a case study of 26 turbines in the Three Gorges Hydropower Plant with