Long-Term Operation of Storage Hydro Projects

The introduction of large storage hydroelectric projects into an existing mixed hydro and thermal generating system increases the need for sound long-term operating policies and system development plans. The complexity of the integrated overall operation of such a generating system is too great for direct application of optimization techniques. The paper describes a methodology which performs a detailed optimization of the long-term operation of a part of the generating system, comprising a large storage hydro project and a thermal plant, under varying conditions of thermal capacity and firm energy demand. When the methodology was applied to an actual large storage hydro project the results provided considerable insight into the long-term integrated operating characteristic of hydro and thermal plants. A basis for coordinating long-term operation with the large storage hydro projects is suggested.