A new approach to adequacy assessment of small isolated power generating systems

Probabilistic methods have largely replaced deterministic techniques in the assessment of generating capacity adequacy in large modern electric power utilities. In spite of their widespread applications in large systems, probabilistic methods are not generally applied to small isolated power systems. This paper presents a technique designated as system well-being analysis, which in addition to the conventional risk index, incorporates the accepted deterministic criteria in the definition of system healthy and marginal states. An approach is illustrated in this paper to calculate the well-being indices for small isolated power systems. The well-being approach can be used to assess the adequacy of an isolated system in generating capacity planning. The technique together with the effects on the system well-being of factors such as generating unit sizes and load factor are illustrated by application to practical power systems