Available Transfer Capability

(ATC)
EE 521 Analysis of Power Systems
Chen-Ching Liu
Washington
hi State University
i i
 Available Transfer Capability (ATC)

ATC measures the residual transfer capability

i the
in h physical
h i l transmission
i i networkk for
f the
h
purpose of further commercial activity over
existing transmission commitments.
 Transmission commitments
Recallable transmission service:
Transmission service which a transmission pprovider has
the right to interrupt in whole or in part under the terms
and conditions of the open access transmission tariff.

Non-recallable transmission service:

Transmission service
ser ice which
hich cannot be interrupted
interr pted by
b a
transmission provider for economic reasons, but that can
be curtailed for reliability reasons.
Transmission commitments (cont.)

Non-recallable transmission service has

priority over recallable transmission service.
Reserved(or
( scheduled)) recallable transfers
may be recalled for non-recallable transfer
q
requests.
 Transmission Reliability Margin (TRM)

TRM is kind of a safety margin to ensure reliable

system operation as system conditions change.
Uncertainty exists in future system topology,
topology load
demand and power transactions.
TRM could be 8% or 10% of the Total Transfer
Capability (TTC).
 NERC: Available Transfer Capability (ATC)

Total Transfer
MW
A >B
A->B Capability (TTC)
TRM
Transmission
Reliability Margin
TRM Nonrecallable ATC measures the residual
ATC
Recallable transfer capability in the
Recallable ATC Nonrecallable
ATC physical transmission
Available
Transfer network for the purpose of
Recallable Capability
Scheduled Recallable further commercial activity
Reserved over existing transmission
Nonrecallable
R
Reserved d commitments.
i

Nonrecallable
Nonrecallable Reserved
Scheduled

Time
Operating Horizon Planning Horizon
 NERC: Available Transfer Capability (ATC)

ATC is mathematically defined as the Total Transfer Capability

(TTC) less the Transmission Reliability Margin (TRM), less the
sum of committed transmission uses including retail customer
service and the Capacity Benefit Margin (CBM*).

ATC = TTC TRM Existing

E i ti Transmission
T i i Commitments
C it t

* Capacity Benefit Margin: CBM is defined as that amount of transmission transfer

capability reserved by load serving entities to ensure access to generation from
interconnected systems to meet generation reliability requirements. Its use is intended
onl for the time of emergency
only emergenc generation deficiencies.
deficiencies
 Total Transfer Capability (TTC)

Power system conditions

Critical contingencies
Parallel path flows
N
Non-simultaneous
i l andd simultaneous
i l transfers
f
Transmission line capacities
 Procedure to calculate TTC

1. Start with a base case power flow

2
2. I
Increase generation
ti in i area A andd increase
i demand
d d in
i
area B by the same amount
3
3. Ch k the
Check th normall thermal,
th l stability
t bilit andd voltage
lt
constraints
4
4. Evaluate the first contingency event and ensure that
the emergency operating limits are met
5
5. When the emergency limit is reached for a first
contingency, the corresponding (pre-contingency)
transfer amount from area A to area B is the TTC
 Example
p [[2]]
Calculate ATC from area A to area B.
It is assumed that one of two lines between area A and area C
is the critical single contingency.

Area A

#1
#2
#1
#2
Thermal Limit: Thermal Limit:
2 x 1100 MW 2 x 1000 MW

#2
Area B
Thermall Limit:
Th Li it #1 Area C
2 x 1000 MW
 Example
p [[2]]
1. Base case power flow.

Area A

#1
#2
#1
#2
100 MW
100 MW
100 MW
100 MW

100 MW
#2
Area B
100 MW
#1 Area C
 Example
p [[2]]
2. Increase generation in area A and increase demand in area B by
the same amount.

Net power transferred Increase

generation in
Area A
f
from area A to area B iin
the base case : 2834 MW area A by
2834 MW. #1
#2
#1
#2
667 MW 667 MW
750 MW
750 MW

Increase 667 MW #2
demand in Area B
area B by #1 Area C
667 MW
2834 MW.
 Example
p [[2]]
3. Check the normal thermal, stability and voltage constraints.
4. Evaluate the first contingency event and ensure that the emergency operating
limits are met.
met
5. When the emergency limit is reached for a first contingency, the corresponding
(pre-contingency) transfer amount from area A to area B is the TTC.

Area A

#1
#2
#1 Fault on line #1
#2

917 MW 1000 MW

917 MW

500 MW #2
A B
Area
#1 Area C
500 MW
 First Contingency Incremental Transfer Capability (FCITC)
First Contingency Total Transfer Capability (FCTTC)

First Contingency Incremental Transfer Capability (FCITC) is the

amount of electric power, incremental above normal base power
transfers that can be transferred over the interconnected
transmission systems in a reliable manner

First Contingency Total Transfer Capability (FCTTC) is the sum of

normal base power transfers and FCITC. FCTTC is the total
amount of electric power that can be transferred between two areas
of the interconnected transmission systems in a reliable manner
 Calculation of FCTTC and FCITC

FCTTC : Net power transferred from area A to

area B at thermal limit = 2834 MW

FCITC = FCTTC - the scheduled power

transferred from area A to area B in the base
case = 2834 MW 0 MW = 2834 MW
 Conclusions

ATC measures the residual transfer capability

p y in the physical
p y transmission network
for the purpose of further commercial activity over existing transmission
commitments.

ATC and TTC depends on system generation dispatch and system load level, power
transfers between areas, network topology, and the limits imposed on the
transmission network due to thermal, voltage and stability constraints

The purposes of ATCs:

to deliver electric power reliably
to pprovide flexibility
y for changing
g g system
y conditions
to reduce the need for installed generating capacity
to allow trading of electric power among systems
 References

1. North American Electric Reliability Council, Available

Transfer Capability Definitions and Determination, June
1996.

2. North American Electric Reliability Council,Transmission

T
Transfer
f Capability,
C bilit May
M 1995.
1995