Impact of Covid-19 on Current Electricity Market in Canadian Provinces and its Optimal Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic has an overwhelming impact on various aspects of Canadian society, including the electricity sector. The sudden and unforeseen transformations in electricity demand posed challenges for power system operators, who had to adapt different unit commitment strategies to ensure grid stability and reliability. The present research explores the variations in electricity demand patterns during the COVID-19 crisis, its impact on the unit commitment problem and cost-effective solution strategy. The study examines the effects of COVID-19 on electricity consumption patterns for pre-covid (2019), during covid (2020) and post-covid (2021), which were significantly altered due to changes in industrial and commercial activities, as well as shifts in residential energy usage. The analysis incorporates load demand data from Ottawa region of Canada, highlighting the diverse impacts for 30 days' time-period. Hybrid Fox Optimizer Algorithm is employed for Unit Commitment Problem scheduling, demonstrating the strategic use of renewable energy and advanced algorithms for enhanced decision-making in dynamic conditions. Experimentally, it has been observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the Canadian electricity market, introducing a paradigm shift in demand dynamics. Lockdowns and restrictions led to a notable 13.96 % decline in power demand, reflecting the altered consumption patterns during the crisis. This reduction in demand posed challenges for unit commitment strategies, prompting a reassessment of the industry's operational frameworks. Moreover, a reduction in 13-15% generation cost is observed by integrating wind energy sources.