Effect of Grid Instability on Power Generation System's Reliability

Abstract

Aims: Reliability assessment of power generation system may be performed with the concept of system adequacy, security or both. Grid being a major component in the power distribution chain is seen to have some influence on the state of the generation system reliability because of the perturbation that may arise from it. In this study, the generation system reliability is evaluated using both the system adequacy and security concept. Study Design: To capture the system security problems attributed to grid disturbance, the generation system is structured into two component systems (1 - generation component and 2 - transmission component) with a series arrangement. Methodology: The reliability indices such as, mean time to failure, mean time to repair, failure rate and repair rate are assessed on component bases and with respect to the entire generation system. Results: The effect of failure rate of the transmission component on the entire generation system failure rate was evaluated as 66.25%, 55.55%, 33.33%, 55.00% and 35.72% in year 2013, 2014, 2017 2018 and 2019 respectively for FIPL Power Plant and 52.94%, 82.35%, 61.38% and 100% effect was evaluated in the year 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively for GT5 of Omoku Power Plant. Conclusion: These results showed that there is a significant influence of grid disturbances on the reliability state of the two gas turbine power plants in Nigeria. Measures on possible reliability state improvement of the power generation systems were suggested to include training and retraining of technical personnel on the management of major equipment in the generation and transmission stations.