Maintaining power system reliability while adding RE generation onto the grid is a priority for system operators. To maintain system reliability, system operators need to maintain an array of ancillary services to balance electricity supply and demand in real-time. System operators maintain the regulated reserve amount to constantly and automatically balance small supply and demand fluctuations. Generation units that feed into the system must be able to respond to Automatic Generation Control (AGC) signals from the system operator and quickly change output accordingly, typically between two to five seconds.
AGC can provide significant secondary reserve which in turn would bring down tertiary reserve requirements in the event of prolonged demand and supply imbalances. India has tertiary reserve market regulations that the Regional Load Despatch Centers (RLDCs) follow. Considering the future growth of RE to meet the GOI targets, regulation reserves have been outlined by CERC as necessary to compensate, within seconds, variations due to both RE input and load. Implementing AGC will help enable Secondary Control. POSOCO has outlined the need to implement AGC pilots in different regions that will include all types of generation (thermal, hydel and RE) to help India develop national AGC regulations.
For more information, please visit https://gtg-india.com/gtg/grid-integration-pilots/