Methodological Priority List for Unit Commitment Problem

In the modern competitive electricity supply industry, there is a renewed interest in algorithms that can provide fast and optimal solutions for savings in operation costs. A novel methodological strategy incorporating the priority list is proposed to provide efficient solutions. Thus, we call the proposed method as methodological priority list (MPL) method. The MPL is simpler and more efficient than conventional priority list method. Problem formulation of the unit commitment (UC) takes into consideration the minimum up (MU) and minimum down (MD) time constraints, start up cost and spinning reserve, and is defined as the minimization of the total objective function while satisfying all the associated constraints. The economic dispatch (ED) is solved using the lambda iteration method. The simplicity of the MPL and fast calculation of ED leads to a methodological and competent method in comparison with conventional method. MPL provides deterministic solution, a criterion preferred for industrial applications. Also, it does not encounter premature convergence and is more reliable.