Power Evacuation Studies

The phrase Power Evacuation Studies is a generic term associated with plans for evacuating power generated from a generating source to a load centre. In the simplest form, it may mean only load flow studies with proposed transmission and distribution plans. When complete engineering is involved, the entire spectrum of power system analysis/studies may have to be performed.

Power Evacuation Studies may mean, studies related to new generation facility and its connectivity to the grid for evacuation of the power or may mean studies related to existing facilities to study alternative plans of power evacuation for operational purposes.

The objective of the studies is usually the checking feasibility of the various technical and economic aspects and therefore may encompass various other studies as follows.

• Load Flow or Power Flow Studies using standard load flow analysis techniques.
• Static and Dynamic Contingency studies, using load flow analysis, transient stability analysis, small signal stability analysis, voltage stability analysis techniques. This is done to check the adequacy of the evacuation design or plan to withstand credible contingencies and to assess the reliability aspects of power evacuation.
• Reactive Power Compensation Studies for capacitor locations, sizing, optimum settings for generator excitations, transformer taps. These studies are carried out using reactive power optimization techniques based typically on linear programming methods. The objective is to ensure that power is supplied to load centers at acceptable voltage levels and with minimum transmission losses.
• Optimal Power Flow Studies. For economic dispatch or other suitable objectives. The other suitable objective may contain, scheduled power exchange, removal of operational infeasibilities, improving stability margin.
•  Engineering studies, such as site survey, plant and equipment locations, various engineering plans and specifications [civil, structural, mechanical, instrumentation, piping, electrical etc], transmission routes, substation layout, circuit breaker sizing, ground mat design, insulation coordination, protection and coordination to complete the designed Power Evacuation arrangement.