Frequency stabilization of a sophisticated multi-area interconnected hybrid power system considering non-inertia sources

This study introduces a novel interconnected power system model, which combines four real areas, integrating conventional power plants with renewable energy sources (RESs). This comprehensive system model aims to address the load frequency control (LFC) challenges that such systems face. Where the integration of RESs into power systems poses significant challenges, particularly in maintaining frequency stability. The LFC approach utilizes a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, meticulously optimized through the Runge-Kutta (RUN) optimizer based on its mathematical principles. Dealing with the uncertainties of RESs and system nonlinearities poses a significant challenge for this controller. The efficacy of the proposed PID controller based on the RUN algorithm is examined by analyzing the frequency stability of the Egyptian power system (EPS), which stays interconnected with neighboring grids in Jordan, Libya, and Sudan. This study accounts for various loading scenarios and system nonlinearities to validate the algorithm’s effectiveness. Furthermore, the superior performance of the RUN optimizer is verified by contrasting its results with other widely recognized optimization techniques, such as the Ant Lion optimizer (ALO) and Chernobyl disaster optimizer (CDO). Additionally, the PID controller based on the RUN optimizer is also evaluated against literature that employed a moth swarm algorithm (MSA) to design the PID controller-based LFC in the EPS. Simulation results in the MATLAB environment demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed PID controller based on the RUN algorithm. The RUN-based PID controller outperforms other PID controllers optimized using algorithms from the literature (e.g., ALO, CDO, and MSA), achieving superior performance across various contingencies, including load variations, RES uncertainties, and system nonlinearities. The results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed controller compared to those in the literature, improving the maximum overshoot by approximately 20% and reducing the minimum undershoot by about 30%. As a result, the system reaches steady-state conditions roughly 15 s faster. Finally, to leverage the precision of physical simulation and the flexibility of numerical simulation, the proposed PID controller, based on the RUN algorithm, is validated and implemented in a real-time environment using the OPA-RT platform.