ELEC3203/ELEC9203 Electricity Networks

Module 1 | Overview of electric power systems

Dr Gregor Verbi | Senior Lecturer

School of Electrical and Information Engineering

The University of Sydney

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Copyright notice

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
Copyright Regulations 1969
WARNING
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Portions of this material are based on The Australian Power Institutes
Collaborative Power Engineering Centres of Excellence Program
(http://www.api.edu.au)
Do not remove this notice.

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Purpose of this module

To give an overview of electric power system operation.
To describe the main power system components.
To introduce electric power system of NSW/Australia.
To put the topics covered in this unit in the context of the
broader power systems area.
To explain the distinction between static and dynamic power
systems analysis.
To relate the content of this unit to other power engineering
units of study.

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Quiz question
The engine of a typical Australian family car has the volume of:
1.
2.
3.
4.

0.15 litre
1.5 litre
0.15 m3
15 litre

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Quiz question
A typical coal-fired power station in Australia has the capacity of:
1.
2.
3.
4.

10 MW
100 MW
1,000 MW
10,000 MW

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Quiz question
On a very hot summer day, the total demand in the National
Electricity Market (QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT) is around:
1.
2.
3.
4.

30 MW
300 MW
30,000 MW
300,000 MW

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Power system structure

The electrical power system is
divided into three major parts as
follows:
Generation: the production of electricity;
Transmission: the lines that transport the
electricity from the generation centers to
the loads;
Distribution: the lines that connect the
individual customer to the electric power
system.
The tradition has been that generation plants
are located away from heavily populated
areas when possible and closer to the
available fuel resources. The reason being that
land around such areas is less expensive and
cost of transporting the fuel is not a
consideration.
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Voltage levels in NSW

The higher the voltage the lower the losses, but more difficult
insulation coordination
Generation: typically 11-25kV
Transmission: 220kV, 330kV, 500kV
Sub-transmission: 132kV, 66kV
Distribution: 33kV, 11kV
Residential: 415V
Transmission substation: 500/330kV, 330/132kV
Sub-transmission substation: 132/66kV, 132/33kV
Zone substation: 132/11kV, 66/11kV, 33/11kV
Distribution transformer (pole-top/green box kiosk):
11kV/415V
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Power system in NSW

Four stages: generation, transmission, distribution and retail.
Used to be one company, now split into poles
and wires and retail
11-25kV
Macquarie
Generation, Delta
Electricity, etc.

132kV, 330kV, 500kV

TransGrid

11-33kV
Ausgrid, Essential,
Endevour

Retail
EnergyAustralia, Integral
Energy, AGL

415V/240V
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Australian transmission system

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Electricity generation in Australia

Large plants predominate, with sizes up to about 1500 MW.
Coal is the most common source, followed by hydro, and gas.

Source: Australian Energy Regulator, State of the energy market 2014

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Loads
Except for large industrial, loads
are usually connected to distribution
networks.
Can range in size from less than
one watt to 10s of MW.
The aggregate load changes with
time, with strong daily, weekly and
seasonal cycles.
For the sake of the analysis, loads
are usually aggregated (hence
distributed networks are
neglected).
The emergence of PV has started to
have a huge impact on the demand!
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Summer demand in SA

Source: http://reneweconomy.com.au
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Electricity market

Source: ABARES: Energy in Australia 2011

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Market clearing (generation scheduling)

Source: AEMO An introduction to the Australian National Electricity Market

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A motivating example

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Some brainteasers
Some brainteasers:
What can you say about this simplified diagram of a power system?
- Which components can
you recognize?
- Are power systems
really single phase?
- Which implicit
assumptions are we
making here?
- What is the voltage
level in this system?

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One-line diagram
Most power systems are balanced three phase systems.
A balanced three phase system can be modelled as a single (or one)
line.
One-lines show the major power system components, such as
generators, loads, transmission lines.
Components join together at a bus.

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Frequency stability
What happens if a generator is disconnected (e.g. BLT69)?

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Frequency stability
Static modelling used in
power flow calculation
doesnt suffice any more!
The network can still be
modelled with algebraic
equations:

Rotational speeds of the remaining

generators in the system

I YV
But the machines need to
be modelled with
differential equations:

Pm Pe ( ) M
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d 2
dt 2
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Transient stability
What happens if we have a short circuit in the system?
3-phase to ground short circuit on Line 5-7, cleared in 77ms.

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Transient stability
Rotor angles of the generators in the system:

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Power system protection

A 4-bus distribution system:

This is supplied by a set of balanced voltages (11 kV, rms, L-L)

All the loads are assumed to be passive
There are loads connected to each bus
It also has three breakers, BRK1, BRK2 and BRK3

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Power system protection

What is the maximal short
circuit current we can
possible get?
Why are we interested only
in the maximum current?
Quasi steady-state analysis based
on symmetrical components
suffices.

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Electromagnetic transients
Example: a lightning strike
A different modelling approach is
needed to properly analyse
electromagnetic transients!

Source: Glover, Sarma, and Overbye, Power System Analysis and Design, 5th Edition
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Power system timescales

Steady state phenomena
Quasi steady state phenomena
Synchronous machine dynamics

Fast (electro-magnetic) transients

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Power system operation on a slide*

PLAN network, operations
Planning gave the road network; I might need a map, enough fuel to run
the car, some idea of my goals.

BALANCE power, energy

Balance means having foot on pedal correctly (or cruise control set).

STABILITY limits, dynamics

Stability means keeping the car stable at its speed (by steering, braking
etc).

PERFORMANCE efficiency, effectiveness

Performance refers to minimising fuel, time etc.

RECOVERY from emergencies

Recovery refers to how to respond to unexpected events, e.g. the car is
running off the road.
*Borrowed from Prof David Hill
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Topics covered
This course primarily deals with steady-state power system
analysis, including the required component modelling.
The course covers the following topics:
Review of three phase circuits
Modelling and operation of:
Transmission lines
Transformers
Synchronous generators
Load flow problem

We will also briefly introduce the following topics:

Power system transient stability
Power system control (voltage and frequency control)
Electricity markets
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Overlap with other courses

System-level:
ELEC3203/ELEC9203 Electricity Networks
ELEC5201 Power System Dynamics and Control
ELEC5202 Power System Planning and Markets
ELEC5204 Power Systems Analysis and Protection

Device-level:
ELEC3204 Power Electronics and Applications
ELEC3206 Electrical Energy Conversion Systems
ELEC5203 Topics in Power Engineering
ELEC5205 High Voltage Engineering
ELEC5207 Advanced Power Conversion Technologies

Alternative energy sources and future grids:

ELEC5206 Sustainable Energy Systems
ELEC5208 Intelligent Electricity Networks

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