Load frequency control issues in multiarea power system: A Review

Abstract

The modern electric grid is one the most complex man-made control systems. Automatic generation control plays an important role in power system operation to maintain the frequency within an acceptable range and to properly respond to load changes under normal conditions. Many publications have been made in the area of Load frequency control (LFC) of interconnected power systems. Load frequency control is necessary to develop better control in order to achieve less effect on the frequency and tie line power deviations after a load perturbation. However, number of control strategies has been employed in the design of load frequency controllers in order to achieve a better dynamic response and the exact choice of the LFC controller in a particular case requires sufficient expertise because each controller has its own merits and demerits. Due to this, an appropriate review of load frequency control (LFC) mechanism is essential and a few attempts have been made in this concern. This paper presents a detailed survey on load frequency control (LFC) mechanism. In this paper detailed analysis of various control methodologies based on classical control, robust and self-tuning control and various soft computing control techniques are discussed. Finally, the investigations on incorporating fast acting energy storage devices such as Battery energy storage system (BESS), superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), Redox flow batteries (RFB) and Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) devices for mitigating the LFC problems in a deregulated power system are also addressed.