ECONOMICAL GENERATION OPERATION

Since the introduction of electricity supply to the public in the late 1800s, people in many parts of the world have grown to expect an inexpensive reliable source of electricity. Providing that electric energy economically and efficiently requires the generation company to carefully control their generating units, and to consider many factors that may affect the performance, cost, and profitability of their operation.

The unit commitment and economic dispatch algorithms play an important part in deciding how to operate the electric generating units around the world. The introduction of competition has changed many of the factors considered in solving these problems. Furthermore, advancements in solution techniques offer a continuum of candidate algorithms, each having its own advantages and disadvantages.

Research continues to push these algorithms further. This chapter has provided the reader with an introduction to the problems of determining optimal unit commitment schedules and economic dispatches.

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