Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Investigation of the effect of wind farm penetration in the transmission electrical grid on the occurrence frequency of grid-related loss of offsite power to the nuclear power plant

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Sh. Kamyab 1
M. Pirayesh 1
M.R. Nematollahi , 2

1 Safety Research Center of Shiraz University, P.O.Box: 7193616548, Shiraz – Iran

2 School of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, P.O.Box: 7193616548, Shiraz – Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1638
Abstract
The reliability of the transmission grid significantly influences the occurrence frequency of Loss of Offsite Power (LOOP), the predominant core damage-inducing event in non-passive nuclear power plants (NPPs). With the increasing integration of wind farms into transmission grids for economic and environmental reasons, grid stability is affected. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate how these changes impact the frequency of Grid-Related LOOP (GR-LOOP). This study examines the effects of varying grid conditions, specifically wind farm penetration levels, on GR-LOOP occurrence frequency. A proposed methodology is applied to grids under different operational scenarios, considering varying percentages of wind farm penetration, different loading conditions, and power flow methods. The frequency of GR-LOOP scenarios is evaluated for grids with 0%, 10%, and 20% wind penetration before a 3-phase short circuit fault occurs on transmission lines. Results show that at the riskiest power plant location, the occurrence frequencies are 3.23E-05, 4.49E-05, and 4.86E-05 per reactor-year for the respective wind penetration levels. Conversely, at the safest location, frequencies are 8.58E-06, 1.55E-05, and 1.52E-05 per reactor-year. These findings underscore the significant impact of wind farm penetration on GR-LOOP frequency in mixed grids. The non-linear and non-proportional changes in frequency with increasing wind penetration highlight the necessity of integrating such considerations into safety assessments for nuclear power plants.

Highlights

  1. Sawin J.L, Sverrisson F, Seyboth K, Adib R, Murdock H.E, Lins Ch, Brown A, Di Domenico S.E, Kielmanowicz D, Williamson L.E, Jawahar R, Appavou F, Musolino E, Petrichenko K, Farrell T.C, Thorsch K. Th, Skeen J, Epp B, Leidreiter A, Tsakiris A, Sovacool B, Saraph A, Mastny L, Martinot E. Renewables 2021-Global status report. 2021;52.

 

  1. U.S. Energy Information Administration. International Energy Outlook 2019 with projections to 2050, 2019 ed. Washington, DC: U.S. EIA. 2019.

 

  1. IEA. Internal Energy Agency. 2021.

 

  1. IAEA, Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050, 40th ed. Vienna: IAEA. 2020.

 

  1. IAEA-TECDOC-719. Defining Initiating Events for Purpose of Probabilistic Safety Assessment. Vienna: IAEA. 1993.

 

  1. Henneaux P, Labeau P.-E, Obama J.M. Reliability of offsite power of nuclear power plants in evolving power systems in: Proceedings of the 20e congrès de Maîtrise des risques et de Sûreté de Fonctionnement (Lambda Mu 20). France. 2016.

 

  1. IAEA-TECDOC-1770. Design Provisions for Withstanding Station Blackout at Nuclear Power Plants. Vienna: IAEA. 2015.

 

  1. Volkanovski A, Ballesteros Avila A, Peinador Veira M. Statistical Analysis of Loss of Offsite Power Events. Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations. 2016.

 

  1. Eide S. NUREG/CR-6890, Vol. 1: Reevaluation of Station Blackout Risk at Nuclear Power Plants: Analysis of Loss of Offsite Power Events:1986-2004. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 2005.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Nematollahi M, Henneaux P, Labeau P.E. Development of a hybrid method to assess grid-related LOOP scenarios for an NPP. Reliability Engineering & System Safety. 2021;206:107298.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Nematollahi M, Henneaux P, Labeau P-E. Investigating the influence of the variation of the load characteristic on the occurrence frequency of Grid-related Loss of Offsite Power using a probabilistic-deterministic methodology. Progress in Nuclear Energy. 2021;139:103870.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Yousefpour F, Nematollahi M. Estimation of the frequency of occurrence for grid-related loss of offsite power (GR-LOOP) to a nuclear power plant. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology. 2020;43:76 [In Persian].

 

  1. NG-T-3.8, Nuclear Energy Series, NG-T-3.8: Electric Grid Reliability and Interface with Nuclear Power Plants. Vienna: IAEA. 2012.

 

  1. Elia Group, https://www.elia.be/en/grid-data.

 

  1. DIgSILENT GmbH, PowerFactory Tutorial; DIgSILENT PowerFactory Version 14.0. Germany: Gomaringen. 2008.

Keywords

Loss of offsite power
Wind farms
Occurrence frequency
Nuclear safety
Grid stability
  1. Sawin J.L, Sverrisson F, Seyboth K, Adib R, Murdock H.E, Lins Ch, Brown A, Di Domenico S.E, Kielmanowicz D, Williamson L.E, Jawahar R, Appavou F, Musolino E, Petrichenko K, Farrell T.C, Thorsch K. Th, Skeen J, Epp B, Leidreiter A, Tsakiris A, Sovacool B, Saraph A, Mastny L, Martinot E. Renewables 2021-Global status report. 2021;52.

 

  1. U.S. Energy Information Administration. International Energy Outlook 2019 with projections to 2050, 2019 ed. Washington, DC: U.S. EIA. 2019.

 

  1. IEA. Internal Energy Agency. 2021.

 

  1. IAEA, Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050, 40th ed. Vienna: IAEA. 2020.

 

  1. IAEA-TECDOC-719. Defining Initiating Events for Purpose of Probabilistic Safety Assessment. Vienna: IAEA. 1993.

 

  1. Henneaux P, Labeau P.-E, Obama J.M. Reliability of offsite power of nuclear power plants in evolving power systems in: Proceedings of the 20e congrès de Maîtrise des risques et de Sûreté de Fonctionnement (Lambda Mu 20). France. 2016.

 

  1. IAEA-TECDOC-1770. Design Provisions for Withstanding Station Blackout at Nuclear Power Plants. Vienna: IAEA. 2015.

 

  1. Volkanovski A, Ballesteros Avila A, Peinador Veira M. Statistical Analysis of Loss of Offsite Power Events. Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations. 2016.

 

  1. Eide S. NUREG/CR-6890, Vol. 1: Reevaluation of Station Blackout Risk at Nuclear Power Plants: Analysis of Loss of Offsite Power Events:1986-2004. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 2005.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Nematollahi M, Henneaux P, Labeau P.E. Development of a hybrid method to assess grid-related LOOP scenarios for an NPP. Reliability Engineering & System Safety. 2021;206:107298.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Nematollahi M, Henneaux P, Labeau P-E. Investigating the influence of the variation of the load characteristic on the occurrence frequency of Grid-related Loss of Offsite Power using a probabilistic-deterministic methodology. Progress in Nuclear Energy. 2021;139:103870.

 

  1. Kamyab S, Yousefpour F, Nematollahi M. Estimation of the frequency of occurrence for grid-related loss of offsite power (GR-LOOP) to a nuclear power plant. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology. 2020;43:76 [In Persian].

 

  1. NG-T-3.8, Nuclear Energy Series, NG-T-3.8: Electric Grid Reliability and Interface with Nuclear Power Plants. Vienna: IAEA. 2012.

 

  1. Elia Group, https://www.elia.be/en/grid-data.

 

  1. DIgSILENT GmbH, PowerFactory Tutorial; DIgSILENT PowerFactory Version 14.0. Germany: Gomaringen. 2008.

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