Balancing Fuel Costs and Water Availability for Short-Term Optimal Scheduling of Hydrothermal Plants

Abstract

The effective functioning of hydrothermal power plants is an essential component in satisfying the demand for energy while simultaneously reducing the amount of money spent on operations and the negative impact on the environment. Both hydroelectric and thermal power production units are included in hydrothermal power systems. The availability of water resources and the cost of fuel are two factors that substantially impact the decisions that are made about the operation of these systems. Optimal hydrothermal scheduling aims to minimize fuel costs for thermal plants while maximizing efficiency, all within the constraints of water availability for hydro plants at a given time period. This research uses Kirchmayer's method for short-term optimum scheduling to find the Hydro-thermal plant's generating schedule, the hydro plant's daily water consumption, and the thermal plant's daily operating cost.