Decision support for matching flexibility measures to flexibility needs in power system planning

The last few years, the demand for electricity has increased rapidly, and many distribution system operators (DSOs) have experienced a significant increase in connection requests. For the power grid to handle the increase in demand for electricity, the DSOs are facing a near future in which they may have to reinforce the grid. It is of interest to assess whether power system flexibility can enhance the utilization of the existing grid and postpone costly grid reinvestments. The DSOs need to be able to assess flexibility as an operational measure at the grid planning stage, but they lack the proper tools. A digital twin representing the grid is a tool that can be used for decision support to help decide if and when flexibility is to be activated. This paper describes possibilities for using flexibility in grid operations with 24-hour operations planning horizon. The principles are illustrated through a case study using a digital twin and a decision support method for utilizing flexibility to avoid transformer overloading.

Inspec keywords: power distribution planning; power grids; digital twins; investment; power engineering computing; power distribution economics; decision support systems

Subjects: Distribution networks; Power engineering computing; Decision support systems; Power system planning and layout; Graphics techniques; Power system management, operation and economics