Review of Methods for Improving the Maneuverability of Power Plants with an Increase in the Share of Wind and Solar Power Plants in Regional Power Systems

The growing share of wind power plants (WPPs) and solar power plants (SPPs) creates new challenges for reliable operation of regional power systems. These challenges are caused to the stochastic nature of power generation by WPPs and SPPs, which can lead to significant fluctuations of mode parameters in case of extreme changes in the supply of primary energy resources. Under these conditions, the flexibility of power systems must be increased to be able to adjust the modes as well as to ensure reliable power supply to consumers. The absence of electric energy storage systems (ESS) in WPPs and SPPs, as well as in power systems, requires increased maneuverability of power plants. Most of regional power systems lack hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), which have the required maneuverability characteristics to maintain the balance of active power at the process ramp. The methods for increasing the maneuverability of power plants by reducing the duration of start-up operations, expanding the adjustment range, along with increasing the rate of load pickup/release are considered. Implementation of a set of effective organizational and technical measures in regional power systems to increase their flexibility in planning the commissioning of new WPPs and SPPs is justified.