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Dispatch and FTR Simulator

• Download the simulator
• Using the simulator
• Feedback

Download the simulator

The simulators is an Excel program, so you need to download it to disc first.

1. Right click
2. Save Target As
3. Open the Excel file when the download is complete

Using the simulator

This simulator is designed to demonstrate, through interaction with the user, the workings of:

• security constrained economic dispatch
• the consequent nodal prices and rentals
• financial transmission right auctions, awards and settlement

Both a three-node and a seven-node model are included in the simulator. Most issues can be demonstrated on the three-node model, apart from the fact that FTRs can be any node to any node, even between nodes that are not uniquely connected, and some of the subtleties of the spring-washer effect. To demonstrate these effects, use the seven-node model which provides a very basic representation of New Zealand’s North Island grid. When toggling between the two models, the dispatch and FTR auction need to be re-run.

The simulator contains a simplified version of Transpower’s 2002 FTR design to illustrate the concepts behind FTR auctions, allocations, linkages to rentals and payments.  Other FTR designs are possible, but nevertheless a lot can be learned about the operation of generic FTRs from experimenting with the simulator.

Within the limits of a small, demonstration system:

• the dispatch function of the simulator reflects the dispatch and prices that would result from the user’s choice of capacity limits on lines, generator price and quantity offers, and demand price and quantity bids. It is a small-scale simulation of the operational “SPD” software (New Zealand’s scheduling, dispatch and pricing software)
• the FTR auction function reflects the information required in an FTR bid, the FTR awards that would result from the user’s choice of those bids and of capacity limits on lines, and the settlement of awarded FTRs against nodal prices.

The simulator has three loss modes:

• first mode assumes no losses in either dispatch or FTRs, as occurs in PJM
• second and third assume losses in both dispatch and the FTR auction
• second and third modes differ in the handling of losses within FTRs
• second retains balanced, loss-less FTRs and adds “spot FTRs” to make up losses, which is crude but illustrative
• third mode reflects Transpower’s FTR design as at 2002 for directional FTRs incorporating a loss factor.

FTRs do not affect dispatch and pricing other than any influence on participants’ bids, so if you are interested only in dispatch and pricing, simply ignore the FTR elements of the simulator. For more information on the theory of security constrained economic dispatch, nodal pricing and FTRs see the references on the FTR homepage and FTR 2002 design page.

Feedback

We hope you find the simulator useful and informative, and welcome feedback on it - use the feedback function in the simulator to let us know what you think.