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Virginia Tech

Modeling Considerations for the Long-Term Generation and Transmission Expansion Power System Planning Problem

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Judicious Power System Planning ensures the adequacy of infrastructure to support continuous reliability and economy of power system operations. Planning processes have a long and rather successful history in the United States, but the recent infl‚ux of unpredictable, nondispatchable generation such as Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECS) necessitates the re-evaluation of the merit of planning methodologies in the changing power system context. Traditionally, planning has followed a logical progression through generation, transmission, reactive power, and finally auxiliary system planning using expertise and ranking schemes. However, it is challenging to incorporate all of the inherent dependencies between expansion candidates' system impacts using these schemes. Simulation based optimization provides a systematic way to explore acceptable expansion plans and choose one or several "best" plans while considering those complex dependencies. Using optimization to solve the minimum-cost, reliability-constrained Generation and Transmission Expansion Problem (GTEP) is not a new concept, but the technology is not mature. This work inspects: load uncertainty modeling; sequential (GEP then TEP) versus unified (GTEP) models; and analyzes the impact on the methodologies achieved near-optimal plan. A sensitivity simulation on the original system and final, upgraded system is performed.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2015

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Mitchell-Colgan, Elliott
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Centeno, Virgilio A.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Thorp, James S.
  • De La Ree, Jaime

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en_US

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-12182015-124025
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/78068

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Mitchell-Colgan, Elliott. Modeling Considerations for the Long-Term Generation and Transmission Expansion Power System Planning Problem. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78068