Evaluation of the impact of integrating pumped-storage systems in a small power system with high wind penetration

Abstract

High wind penetration in a small power system can create overwhelming stability issues at contingencies. Hybrid wind and pumped-storage systems are widely adopted to harness the maximum wind energy potential locally. Similarly, integration of pumped-storage power plants can be considered for islands or small power systems to integrate more wind farms while improving stability of the system. A small power system was derived based on the IEEE-12 bus system to evaluate the system behavior with increased wind penetration and pumped-storage integration. The integrated system was simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC to analyze the system transient stability under different scenarios. The studies revealed that the integration of pumped-storage systems into small power systems with high wind penetration not only supports more wind penetration into the system but also improves the transient stability.