Effect of Load Composition on the Frequency Response of the Cyprus Power System

Abstract

The Cyprus power system is undergoing vast changes due to the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources. The isolated nature of the system makes it more vulnerable to large frequency deviations. As a consequence, frequency control becomes challenging especially in the case of large disturbances. To keep the system in admissible frequency limits and avoid brownouts or even system blackout, it is important to have a detailed and accurate model of the system to improve monitoring and control, and enhance the situational awareness of the system operators. One important component of the system to be modelled is the system load. Although this is not a straightforward task, the significance of load modelling can be underlined by the fact that the system response is affected by the type of the system loads. In this sense, the type of the load in combination with the increased penetration of dispersed renewable energy sources can significantly affect the system frequency response to generation loss events. In this paper, the importance of accurate load modelling and the associated effect to the response of the Cyprus power system is examined. The system frequency response to generation loss events for multiple scenarios is investigated. Various load compositions are examined, while PV generation is also considered in order to simulate realistic system conditions. Furthermore, two cases of different plant mix are also examined.