Regional model assesses economy energy purchases

A description is given of a program that models the loads, resources, interconnected transmission systems, and firm power commitments of each major region served by the Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC) interconnected network. The program is used to determine the quantity and price of economy energy ultimately available to Californian utilities. The model determines the amount of economy energy that will be purchased by individual California utilities by using economy energy demand curves for each purchasing utility. Following a discussion of the origins and development of the model, the information required by the model and the results the model generates are explained. A simple flow diagram shows the general structure of the model in sufficient detail to explain how it works, without dwelling on its intricacies. An example of the program's application in a transmission line certification proceeding is presented. A specification of the hardware necessary to run the program and discussion of ongoing enhancements are included.<
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