Simulation Models for Hydro-Electric Energy by Steady-Rate and Night-Shift-Pumped-Storage Operations

Abstract

New operation simulation models for hydroelectric energy and its financial benefit over an N-year period in daily time steps by the steady-rate and the open-loop night-shift-pumped-storage rules are developed. These models are applied on 11 existing dams in Türkiye, which reflect a wide range of hydrologic and hydraulic peculiarities, for regulations between 90% through 40% and the outputs are compared. Regulation is the ratio of (outflow for energy generation, hm3/day) / (average inflow, hm3/day). The present worths of energy benefits and of pumping costs computed with a discount rate of 9.5% over a 35-year period yield that the night-shift pumped-storage operations are more profitable than the steady-rate rule. Finally, generalized regression equations for average annual produced energy and for present worth of net benefits by both operation rules against statistically significant explanatory variables are developed using the results of these 11 dams, which are all meaningful by relevant statistical criteria.