MEASURING GENERATOR PERFORMANCE IN PROVIDING REGULATION AND LOAD-FOLLOWING ANCILLARY SERVICES

In an earlier project, we analyzed data on total system load as well as the loads of eight large industrial customers (Kirby and Hirst 2000). We analyzed these data in terms of system and customer-specific requirements for two real-power ancillary services, regulation and load following. We conducted these analyses using 12 days of data from February 1999 plus 12 days of data from August and September 1999. The project discussed here focused on the supply side (provision) of these two services. Specifically, we examined the output of this control area's generation resources, in aggregate and by unit. We analyzed the performance of these generating units in two ways. First, we analyzed the contribution of these generators to overall system performance [generally relative to the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) standards]. Second, we analyzed performance relative to what the control center requested of the generators.