The Estimation of Hydroelectric Power Station
Functioning Efficiency at the Poor Power Quality
Savina Natalia Viktorovna
Amur State University
Blagoveschensk, Russia
power@amursu.ru
Abstract—The method of estimating the effectiveness of
hydroelectric power stations functioning according to power
quality indexes was elaborated. Formulae for estimating the life
time of electric equipment isolation at the poor power quality
were got, and formulae for estimating indexes of safety of electric
power stations at the poor power quality were elaborated. Areas
characterizing the effectiveness of hydroelectric power station
functioning at power distortions were defined.
Keywords-power quality, hydroelectric power station,
effectiveness of functioning
I. INTRODUCTION
The decrease of power quality is one of the significant
tendencies of world power engineering in the last decades
(power quality). It is caused by an active introduction of
specific rectifying load with nonlinear volt-ampere
characteristics and the introduction of such modern
technologies as a frequency-controlled drive. Considering that
the effectiveness of the power station work is one of the most
important criteria of its functioning, it becomes necessary to
analyze the influence which is produced by the power quality
distortions.
II. ABBRIVIATIONS USED
In the article under the term “power quality distortion” we
mean sinusoid curve voltage distortion and symmetry of three-
phase voltage system distortions.
III. CRETERION OF EFFICIENCY
Efficiency is a measure of quality of the object
functioning proper or the utility of its use for the
accomplishing of intended functionality. In other words,
Suhomesov Michail Andreevich
“RusHydro” join-stock company regional branch –
“Zeya Hydroelectric power station”
Zeya, Russia
LuckyCMA@yandex.ru
frequency of line voltage and to provide stability of power
system work under the given conditions.
Nowadays to analyze the efficiency of hydroelectric
power station functioning a great number of technical and
economic indicators, which are not interconnected with each
other, are used. Strictly speaking, it’s impossible to separate
these notions as the technical condition of equipment and, as
the result; the technical indexes define the economic ones.
Nevertheless a great number of indexes characterizing the
efficiency of hydroelectric power station functioning is not
convenient for analyzing its state and working out measures
for providing its competitiveness. Besides, in some cases it’s
necessary to get one complex criterion, which will combine
both technical and economic aspects of functioning. Such
criterion will enable to estimate the influence of a separate
factor, in our case sinusoid curve distortion and the symmetry
of current and voltage on the efficiency of hydroelectric power
station functioning.
A criterion is an indication, measure on the basis of which
the assessment, the comparison of alternatives and the
classification of objects and phenomena are carried out. In our
case a criterion is an indication of comparison of the
effectiveness of hydroelectric power station functioning in the
presence of a certain perturbing factor and without it.
As for power stations, such a comprehensive criterion of
efficiency in the qualitative form can be the variable value
which reflects the share of electric power delivery from the
power station divided into electric power delivery which is
required for the regime conditions under consideration [1]:
M f [ E ( t )]
efficiency is a degree of power station suitability to generate  Ɏ( t ) , 
electric power of the required quality and amount, to maintain M n [ E ( t )]

978-1-4244-5172-2/09/$26.00 ©2009 IEEE

 M f [E ( t )] is the mathematical expectation of the actual
electric power delivery from electric power station at the
certain period of time (t);
M n [E ( t )] - is the mathematical expectation of electric
power which should be delivered according to the regime
conditions from hydroelectric power station at the certain
period of time t.
The quantity of the actual delivered electric power can be
calculated with the help of commercial record of electric power
data, which can be found at any hydroelectric power station
from electric power station is the measured, therefore it
doesn’t require any calculations.
The method of calculation of the mathematical expectation
of under recorded and rerecorded electric power connected
with the resultant error of the system of electric power record,
caused by the power quality distortion M [ 'ɗca ( t )] is
described in detail in the works [2, 3]. The main idea used in
the process of its elaboration consists in the use of current,
voltage and resistance models:
provided that the resultant error of this system of record is  I I (1) 1  k In2  k 22I  k 02I , 
equal to zero. As a matter of fact, the resultant error is never
equal to zero, besides under the influence of some external
factors it can exceed the admissible error. Therefore the amount
of the actual electric power delivery from hydroelectric power  U 2
U (1) 1  kUn  k 22U  k 02U , 
station will be estimated according to the data of the automatic
system of control and record of electric power taking and the
resultant error.
 z2 r 2 n  x 2 ˜ n 2 , 
M [ E ( t )] r M ['Eca ( t )]
 F (t) ,  where:
M [ E ( t )] r M ['Eca ( t )]  M ['En (t )]
k 2 I , k 0 I , k 2U , k 0U ,
x are the dissymmetry currents and
or: voltage coefficients by reverse sequence and null
string, relative units;
M [ 'En ( t )] k In , kUn are the coefficients of harmonic component
 F (t) 1 
M [ E ( t )] r M ['Eca ( t )]  M [ 'En ( t )]
where:
M [E ( t )] is the mathematical expectation of electric
x
power estimated by the system of commercial record at
the period of time t, delivered from electric power
station;
M ['Eca ( t )] is the mathematical expectation of
x
under recorded and rerecorded electric power
conditioned by the resultant error of the system of
electric power record, caused by the distortion of
power quality;
x
M ['En ( t )] is the mathematical expectation of the
under delivered electric power connected with the
decrease of safety in the period of time t.
IV. THE SEQUENCE OF EFFICIENCY CRETERION
CALCULATION
To calculate the criterion of effectiveness we should find
the amount of all component parts of the formula (2).
The amount of the mathematical expectation of electric
power estimated by the system of commercial record in the
,  x
of current and voltage, relative units
x n – harmonic number;
x r, x – active and inductive impedance of the secondary
circuit.
during the mathematical formulation of the main elements of
the measuring system (current and voltage transformer).
To calculate the mathematical expectation of the
underdelivered electric power caused by electric power quality
distortions, firstly we should estimate the safety of the separate
elements of electric power station at the poor power quality.
It should be mentioned that the variety of reasons for
electrotechnical equipment faults is reflected in the division of
faults into random failures and gradual failures, mathematical
models of which are different. As a matter of fact any element
of electric power station is influenced by a great number of
factors (sudden and conditionally constant), which can lead
either to the random failure or gradual wear. Therefore to
analyze the safety of hydroelectric power stations power
equipment it’s advisable to use the combination of two laws:
demonstrative and normal [4]:
(t-T)2
O˜t t -T 1 
2V 2T
 a(t ) e [O (1  Ɏ( ))]  e , 
period of time t and the amount of electric power delivered VT 2S V T
 (t -T) 2

e 2V 2 T Having found the failure rate of the separate elements of
 O (t ) O 
t -T
V T 2S Ɏ(
VT
where Ɏ is Laplace’s function and ıɌ is mean-square
time of no-failure operation.
Energy quality distortions can lead to the decrease of
isolation life time. The main reason it can be thermal aging.
It’s definitely known that we can find out the increase of
temperature which can lead the twofold life time decrease of
any type of isolation (for example, for the isolation with
organic base it’s 8°ɋ – eight degree rule). With the help of the
formulae (4, 5, 6) additional electric power loss for the
,  electric power station we perform the following operations:
)
x The scheme of hydroelectric power station substitution
from the point of view of safety is drawn.
x The power that should be delivered into the system
according to the regime conditions is calculated, then
by the search of eventual failures of the separate station
elements potential deficits in this regime are calculated.
x The risk of potential deficit emergence is calculated in
accordance with redundance.
x Then the duration of potential deficits is calculated:
separate elements of electric equipment caused by energy  t ( Pd ) p( Pd ) ˜ Ɍ y  
quality distortions were estimated. Then we estimated the
amount of the additional heating of isolation, it enabled us to
detect the interconnection between power quality distortion where Ɍy = 8760 h, and the mathematical expectation of the
and the decrease of isolation life time. quantity of the underdelivered electric power:
Having introduced the decrease of life time connected with
poor electric quality of a separate element into the formula (5), n
we can calculate an element’s failure rates taking into
consideration the influence of power quality:
 M ['En ( t )] ¦ P ˜t( P ) 
1
d d 

The complex criterion of hydroelectric power station

(t-T-'T)2 operating efficiency characterizes the whole set of factors

2V 2T which influence the underdelivery of electric power in
1 e
 Oqe (t )  ,  comparison with its the required quantity and quality according
T  'T V 2S Ɏ( t - T - 'T ) to the existing regime. The structure of influence of the
T
VT separate technical indexes of electric power station work on the
complex criterion of its operating efficiency is given in
where ǻɌ is the decrease of isolation life time caused by figure 1.
power quality distortion (the method of calculation is
described [5]).

Operation Relaying
cost and automation

Invalidity of energy Power Equipment The safety of energy

and power record losses life time and power output

Power measuring Electrotechnical Control Relaying

complex equipment system and automation

Influencing factor

Figure 1. The influence of electrical power station technical indexes on the complex criterion of efficiency
 The complex criterion is used to estimate the degree of the
separate factor influence on the operating efficiency of electric
power station on the whole and the necessity of its record. The
use of this efficiency criterion enables to single out the factors,
the influence of which is quite significant for station
functioning. Besides the use of the criterion enables to
elaborate the system of measures for hydroelectric power
station protection from adverse effects. Moreover we have the
opportunity of estimating the qualitative amount of this
criterion, which will make electric power station more
competitive, it will make possible to compare different
hydroelectric power station between each other. Besides the
criterion of efficiency makes it possible to predict the
functional state of the station.
To describe the essence of the suggested criterion let’s
consider the influence of power quality distortion on the
operating efficiency of hydroelectric power station.
Power quality distortions influence the functioning of
electric power measuring complex, electrotechnical
equipment, control system of hydroelectric power station,
relay protection and automatics. It leads to a great number of
negative consequences at electric power station: the invalidity
of electric power record, additional current losses in
electrotechnical equipment of station, the decrease of isolation
life time, equipment failures, and, as the result, to the decrease
of electric power delivery safety.
Additional losses of electric power at energy quality
distortion is a generally recognized fact [6, 7]. The invalidity
of electric energy and power records should be taken into
consideration as a metrology component of loss [8]. It’s quite
important that the loss is released in the form of heat in
electrotechnical equipment of the station and leads to the
component parts thermal growth. In the process the equipment
engineering the loss and its negative effect is taken into
consideration, nevertheless the presence of additional loss can
lead to thermal balance failure in electric machines and cause
rapid isolation thermal aging. Besides thermal aging, energy
quality distortion leads to electric aging of isolation. What’s
more reciprocal moments produced during energy quality
distortions on electric machines shaft cause vibration aging of
isolation.
The rapid isolation aging leads to the decrease of its life
time and, as the consequence, to the possible increase in
electrotechnical equipment breakdown and the decrease of
electric power output safety.
Power quality distortion also affects the control system of
hydropower station operating procedure, relaying and
automation operating. Particularly significant influence is
produced by the poor power quality on brand new
microprocessor units, it can lead to protection misoperation
and to power deficit. As the result, it also leads to the decrease
of power output safety.
For the sake of convenience let’s display the money
equivalent of the given index as damage:
 D (1  F ( t )) ˜ W ˜ E  
where:
D – is a total amount of damage caused by influencing factors;
E – expenditures caused by underdelivery and underrecord
(rerecord) of power;
W– average annual generation of electric power
megawatt/hour.
It should be mentioned that the expenditures caused by
power underdelivery and underrecord (rerecord) include not
only the cost of underdelivered and underrecord (rerecord)
power but also:
x the expenditures on breakdown elimination caused by
the influencing factor;
x partial cost of the broken equipment (the equipment
which can’t be repaired).
x the expenditures caused by the sudden power limiting.
This approach enables not only to assess the actual
efficiency of the power station work, but to compare them and
predict their functional state.
Thus, the complex criterion of power station efficiency
functioning was elaborated, and its mathematical formulation
was carried out.
V. THE CRETERION OF EFFICIENCY USE
The use of the suggested criterion enables to single out
factors producing a pronounced influence on power stations
efficient functioning and to elaborate the complex of measures
to prevent some negative influence. Besides it enables to
predict the efficiency of power station functioning in the
future.
To estimate the actual significance of the suggested
criterion the calculation on the base of Zeya hydropower
station was made. Three scenarios were chosen:
The first one corresponds with minor power quality
distortions (the distortions don’t exceed 50% of State Standard
13109-97 maximum permissible rate);
The second corresponds with the situation when the
distortions are equal to State Standard maximum permissible
rate;
The third – the distortions exceed maximum permissible
rate in 50%.
Besides, we found power range, which should be released
into the circuit – from the power of station (1330 MW) to
minimum acceptable rate (500 MW). For conditions
mentioned above a series of the suggested criterion
calculations were made, the results of which are presented in
the form of a chart (figure 2).

Figure 2. Variable value of the criterion of hydroelectric power station work
efficiency at different load and power quality distortion level
From the chart given above we can see that the increase of
power quality distortion rate leads to the decrease of
hydroelectric power station functioning efficiency. Besides the
load increase leads to the increase of power quality distortions
influence. The given chart (chart 2) characterizes the influence
of power quality distortions on hydroelectric power station
functioning. To get the quantitative assessment of this
influence another variant of relation (figure 3).
Figure 3. The areas characterizing hydroelectric power station functioning
efficiency at power quality distortions
In figure 3 the areas where the coefficient of functional
efficiency varies on 0,01 relative unit (1%) are presented. To
calculate money equivalent of the given criterion of damage
we should use the formula (12). It’s quite convenient that the
result is presented in relative units that mean that it can be
converted into any required unit.
In chart 3 there are areas corresponding with different
hydroelectric power station functioning efficiency. The first
area can be called the area of hydroelectric power station
effective functioning, here the influence of power quality
distortions is minimal and doesn’t lead to significant economic
consequences. If a station works in this area there is no
necessity to take any measures for power quality
normalization, but some kind of ɉɄɗ control should be taken
from time to time to prevent the possibility of transference into
the second area.
The second area is the area of economic damage for
hydroelectric power station. It is the area where the negative
consequences caused by power quality distortions appear: the
decrease of the main equipment life time, power underrecord
and the increase of power underdelivery possibility during the
maximal station load. There can be no apparent manifestations
of power quality distortions noticed by the station personnel
but the decrease of economic efficiency is already evident. It’s
quite reasonable to take some measures for power quality
normalization. Besides the constant power quality distortion
monitoring should be carried out.
The third area can be called the area of failures. The
influence of power quality distortions on the hydroelectric
power station functioning efficiency is significant and it’s
essential to take measures for power quality index
improvement, at the same time variable value of power quality
index should be controlled. But the existence of hydroelectric
power stations in the area is unlikely, because in this case
hydroelectric power station should have rated load all the time
and an extremely high level of power quality distortions.
In the electric power competitive market it is necessary to
increase economic efficiency of hydroelectric power stations
work, to do it we should find out to what area they belong.
According to this data the measures for loss decrease
connected with power quality distortions should be taken.
The recommendation for the stations of the second and the
third category is the elaboration of the system of constant
power quality distortion monitoring.
VI. CONCLUSION
Summarizing everything mentioned above we can draw
the following conclusion:
1. We suggested the criterion of hydroelectric power station
effectiveness taking into account technical consequences
of the capital equipment work of hydroelectric power
station in the presence of Ʉɗ distortions.
2. The suggested criterion enables to provide the qualitative
and quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of
hydroelectric power station functioning.
3. The suggested instrumentality enables to define the limit
of hydroelectric power station effective functioning in
case of power quality distortions according to power
output. The limits exceed will lead to the increase of
operation cost and the decrease of profit and in case of
the extremely high degree of distortions can even cause
failures. This limit enables to elaborate the measures for
power quality providing and normalization at certain
stations with real conditions.
4. The areas characterizing hydroelectric power station
functioning efficiency on the base of Zeya hydroelectric
power station were plotted according to the level of
power quality distortions and station load.
5. The use of the suggested criterion of hydroelectric power
station functioning efficiency and the defining of the
limits of effective functioning on its base will enable
hydroelectric power stations to decrease their
 expenditures and increase profit at the poor power quality
which will lead to the increase of stations
competitiveness in the market.

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