OVERBYE, THOMAS J.
University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Abstract: How the Power
Grid Behaves
The nation's electric power
grid is an
interconnected network of generation groups called control areas. Each
control area has the responsibility to serve
power
to its residential commercial,
and industrial customers, even in the event oi unforeseen disturbances.
A control area must fulfill this responsibility in both a reliable and
a cost-effective manner: reliably, so that its customers don't wind up
in the dark; and inexpensively, so that it can remain competitive in an
increasingly competitive deregulated marketplace. The high-voltage transmission
system ties each control area to its neighbor, enabling the control area
to buy and sell
power
with its neighbors. Transacting
power
with its neighbors
helps a control area fulfill its responsibilities.
This presentation explains many of the fundamental
issues surrounding the operation of the interconnected power
system. It
identifies the various components of the system, including the generators,
loads, and transmission lines that comprise each control area, and demonstrates
how automatic generation control is employed to keep pace with changing
power
demand. Furthermore, the presentation emphasizes the variety of issues
associated with transacting
power
between areas, identifying the reliability
and economic issues and indicators that may shape a control area's decision
to engage in a
power
transaction. The highly graphical and interactive
PowerWorld Simulator software package will be used to communicate these
lessons clearly and effectively.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90928©1999 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas