Fairness of Power System Load-Shedding Plans

Abstract

Transmission system operators apply selective loadshedding plans to prevent system wide interruptions and blackouts due to generation and transmission adequacy issues. If the load-shedding plan is activated, the electricity supply is intentionally switched off in indicated areas for a fixed period of time. The burden of load-shedding plans thus falls on a subset of consumers, while the benefits accrue to all consumers. This results in public opposition as illustrated with the publication of the loadshedding plan in Belgium in the winter of 2014-2015. To improve the social acceptability of load-shedding plans, we analyzed the unfairness of load-shedding plans based on Gini-based inequality indices and studied a top-down socialized compensation scheme and bottom-up priority service contracts to indirectly reduce the unfairness. The analysis is executed for a simplified version of the Belgian load-shedding plan for the winter of 2014-2015.

Equity Metrics for Climate Adaptation in the Electricity Sector

“…Although SAIDI and SAIFI measure the duration and frequency of interruptions, it will be important to use them to assess how the burden of interruptions-particularly those caused by public safety power shutoffs-are borne by different communities (Heylen et al, 2018). For instance, one community might experience 50 percent of the total customer minutes of shutoffs while making up only 10 percent of a utility's accounts.…”