Short-Term Operation Model for Coupled Hydropower Reservoirs

Abstract

A short-term operation model is developed for optimal operation of hydraulically coupled hydropower plants. The model uses mixed integer nonlinear programming as an optimization tool. An innovative method is proposed to address the issue of hydraulic coupling through the use of tailwater elevation curves. Binary variables are used in the nonlinear programming model formulation for the selection of the tailwater elevation curves. Sensitivity of operation schedules to time delay due to flow transport is analyzed. The developed model is applied to an existing system of hydropower reservoirs in Manitoba, Canada. Results indicate that operation schedules from the operation model, which considers the aspect of hydraulic coupling, are significantly different from those obtained from a similar kind of model that does not consider this issue in an exhaustive approach. The importance of hydraulic coupling and its effect on generating schedules are emphasized.