Author(s)

M. A. El-Kady, B. M. Alshammari

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This paper presents a new practical framework for evaluating reliability levels associated with power system supply-demand balance. The framework has been developed as part of a recent major industry-supported research and development study. The novel framework is based on three metaphors (dimensions) representing the relationship between available generation capacities and required demand levels. The first metaphor defines whether or not the capacity exists, the second metaphor defines whether or not the capacity is needed, and the last metaphor defines whether or not the capacity can reach (delivered to) the demand. The eight possible combinations associated with the 0/1 (Yes/No) values of the three metaphors would, in turn, define a set of powerful system-wide performance quality measures relating to generation deficiency, redundancy, bottling, etc. Practical applications to a portion of the Saudi power grid are also presented for demonstration purposes. The work of the paper constitutes a new line of research in system reliability assessment where the derived system-wide performance quality indices are capable of addressing and revealing areas of deficiencies and bottlenecks as well as redundancies in the composite generation- demand structure of large-scale power grids. In addition, the sensitivities of the performance quality indices with respect to variations in the system operating parameters represent powerful information, which can be used to assess the level of degradation in the reliability measure or the performance quality index under consideration.

Power Systems, Reliability, Quality Assessment, Linear Programming

M. El-Kady and B. Alshammari, "A Practical Framework for Reliability and Quality Assessment of Power Systems," Energy and Power Engineering, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2011, pp. 499-507. doi: 10.4236/epe.2011.34060.