Optimization of Large-Scale Hydropower System Operations

A practical monthly optimization model, called SISOPT, is developed for the management and operations of the Brazilian hydropower system. The system, one of the largest in the world, consists of 75 hydropower plants with an installed capacity of 69,375 MW, producing 92% of the nation’s electrical power. The system size and nonlinearity pose a real challenge to the modelers. The basic model is formulated in nonlinear programming (NLP). The NLP model is the most general formulation and provides a foundation for analysis by other methods. The formulated NLP model was first linearized by two different linearization techniques and solved by linear programming (LP). A comparative analysis was made of the results obtained from the linearized and the NLP models. The results show that the simplest linearized model (referred to as the LP model) without iteration is suitable for planning purposes. For example, the LP model could be used in system capacity expansion studies or to explore various design parameters in connection with feasibility studies, where details in storage variation are not as important as the power production. With a good initial policy provided by the LP model, the successive linear programming (SLP) model produced excellent results with fast convergence. The NLP model, the most complex and accurate model in the suite, is particularly suited for setting up guidelines for real-time operations using inflow forecast with frequent updating. The performance of the NLP model was checked against the historical operational records, and the comparison yields indications of superior performance.