Chapter # 8

Optimal Power Flow  (OPF)

Why We need Optimal Power Flow
The Economic Dispatch (ED) calculation ignores the specific details of the network
that the generators are connected to and lumps all the network effects into the
losses and total load demand.

The ED calculation ignores the effect that the dispatch of generation has on the
loading of transmission branches or the effect it has on bus voltages.

The dispatch of generation does, in fact, have an important effect on transmission

flows, and under some circumstances these affects need to be taken into account.
 OPF
• The optimal power flow (OPF) couples the ED
calculation with a power flow calculation so that the
ED and the power flow are solved simultaneously.
• The total losses of the power system are simply part
of the power flow calculation and are reflected in
the loading of the generation on the reference bus.
• There is no need to specifically calculate the losses
since they are inherently a part of the power flow.
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• The ED can be constrained to meet
transmission system limits such as MW or
MVA flow limits on lines or transformers or
voltage limits on buses.
• The result is the generation dispatch
representing the minimum $/h total
generation cost and that also solves the power
flow at that optimum.
Economic Dispatch Formulation
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The OPF calculation combining Economic
Dispatch and the Power Flow
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• We do not have to explicitly calculate the losses or the generator incremental
losses as this is all incorporated in the AC power flow equations.
• As in a power flow, we must force the reference-bus voltage magnitude and
phase angle to be fixed quantities.
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Nodal Admittance Matrix
OPF using DC Power Flow
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Example:
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Example 2: DCOPF WITH TRANSMISSION LINE LIMIT
IMPOSED
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ADDING LINE FLOW CONSTRAINTS TO THE
LINEAR PROGRAMMING SOLUTION
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Solving the DCOPF using Quadratic
Programming
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Solution to the ACOPF
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Algorithm for Solution of the ACOPF
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Algorithms
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Iterative Linear Programming (LP)
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Comparison of DCOPF and ACOPF
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Results Comparison between QP based
DCOPF and LP based ACOPF by Ignoring
Line Limits
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Comparison
Comparison Including Line Limits
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Relationship b/w LMP, Incremental Losses, and
Line Flow Constraints
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Locational Marginal Price at a Bus with No
Lines being Held at Limit
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Locational Marginal Price with a Line Held at
Its Limit
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