Load Frequency Control for A Multi Area Power System Involving Wind, Hydro and Thermal Plants

In an interconnected power system, as a power load demand varies randomly both area frequency and tie-line power interchange also vary. The objectives of load frequency control (LFC) are to minimize the deviations in these variables (area frequency and tie-line power interchange) and to ensure their steady state errors to be zero. In this area of energy crisis, renewable energy is the most promising solution to man’s ever increasing energy needs. But the power production by these resources cannot be controlled unlike in thermal plants. As a result, standalone operation of renewable energy is not reliable. Hence grid-connection of these along with conventional plants is preferred due to the improved performance in response to dynamic load. It is observed that fluctuations in frequency caused due to load variations are low with increase in penetration of renewable resources. Load frequency control (LFC) including PID controller is proposed in order to suppress frequency deviations for a power system involving wind, hydro and thermal plants owing to load and generating power fluctuations caused by penetration of renewable resources. A system involving two thermal plants, a wind farm and a hydro plant will be modelled using MATLAB.