DRAFT

Modeling Subcommittee Questions

The following list of questions are gathered by the Modeling Subcommittee to help prioritize and guide enhancements of future models. These questions are only the starting point and should be consolidated. Some questions may have already been resolved and can be eliminated.

  1. Are the system conditions for a point on the 1 in 2 load forecast curve the same as the corresponding point on the 1 in 5 load forecast curve, so that the load compositions (e.g., air conditioning, pumping, etc.) and hydro dispatch would be very similar?
  2. Should Behind the Meter resource be modeled as a generator or a negative Load?
  3. Should Energy Efficiency be modeled as peak shaving, same % load reduction for all hours, or some different distribution? Is there a load modifying algorithm?
  4. Should Demand Response (DR) be modeled based on existing programs? Is there an algorithm in the Production Simulation program to model this? How will future DR programs be incorporated into the software?
  5. How much of the composite load model in the power flow need to be reflected in the PCM load algorithm? For example, if the composite load model shows PV and/or storage as part of the load, would they be modeled as a percentage of the load or in MWs?
  6. Is there a connection between the load compositions (Constant Power, Constant Current and Constant Impedance) or the composite load models in the Power flow/Stability and load profiles in the PCM?
  7. Load power factors at different load levels (e.g., typical summer peak load power factor can be 0.98; and winter off-peak load power factor can be 1.00) – impacts power flow/stability; but probably have no impact on PCM. Is the correct?
  8. In Power flow and stability studies, there are rules against the use of “Fictitious Elements” for projects with impacts on the operation of the Western Interconnection (see pages 95-98). To avoid having had to redo studies, transmission planners generally adhere to these rules about avoid modeling “Fictitious Elements” in the power flow and stability base cases. However, PCM cases simulating far into the future will necessarily include some elements that can be deemed “Fictitious Elements” in the Power flow world. Do we have rules to identify the “firmness” of future elements? Do we have (or need) a mechanism to easily identify and add non-firm elements to (or remove non-firm elements from) PCM or power flow cases?
  9. Do we have algorithms to dispatch Hydro, Renewables and other unconventional resources, such as utility scale storage devices? Have such algorithms been accepted? Are we satisfied with the algorithms? What improvements, if any, would we need?
  10. How are LCR/RMR modelled in the PCM? Do we assume that future transmission upgrades will eliminate all LCR/RMR?
  11. What does optimization mean if we have too many must-take resources? What is our plan in anticipation of this development?
  12. Unit commitment at each plant – the number of units on line at a plant can impact power flow/stability but may not impact PCM results. Do we have an algorithm to
  13. Voltage ride through capabilitiesand Frequency Ride through capabilities – if a certain number of generators do not ride through, we will need to increase the unit commitment (or the resource margin). Do we have the algorithms to represent these requirements? Do we need to model these requirements?
  14. As we replace higher and higher levels of conventional generation with inverter based technology, do we have the models to adequately study dynamics and long-term dynamics?
  15. How would we model path limitations that vary according to flows on a different path based on a nomogram? Are there algorithms to do so automatically? Do we need planning software beyond the commonly used stability packages?
  16. Others?