A technique of generation equipment maintenance scheduling in deregulated electric power systems

The paper suggests a new approach to scheduling generation equipment maintenance in electric power systems in a market environment. The maintenance schedules are optimized by using the criterion of maximum profit for a generation company. The objective function includes a penalty component for violation of contractual terms on supply of electric power and capacity to the market network that depend on maintenances of power plant equipment. This makes it possible to adjust interests of generation companies participating in the energy market, electricity consumers and other market subjects. A list of maintenances to optimize their schedule is drawn up based on the combination of strategies of the preventive maintenances and maintenances caused by the technical state of equipment. The optimal periods for maintenances are chosen subject to seasonal constraints, conditions of incompatibility of individual maintenances, requirements to reliability of power supply to consumers and capacity of maintenance companies. The approach efficiency is illustrated by an example.