Beatrice Lang
Australia has one of the worst control over system frequency in the developed world, with the East Coast power system being particularly susceptible to frequency regulation issues. This has led to concerns about the potential for system-wide blackouts in the event of a generation/load mismatch. The Australian NEM recorded over $200 million in frequency control ancillary service payments in 2017, indicating the significant costs associated with managing this issue. These problems also impact the integration of renewable energy sources, as a more effective approach to frequency control is needed to overcome technical obstacles in the industry. Understanding electrical frequency in Australia involves considering the historical context of early electrical engineering decisions and the current challenges faced by the power grid.
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What You'll Learn
- Australia's electrical frequency control is among the worst in the developed world
- Frequency regulation issues increase the risk of system-wide blackouts
- Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz)
- Australia's electrical frequency is impacted by traditional units
- The Australian NEM paid over $200 million for frequency control in 2017
Australia's electrical frequency control is among the worst in the developed world
Australia's electrical frequency control has been described as "among the worst in the developed world". This is particularly true of the East Coast power system, which is said to have the poorest frequency regulation in the developed world. This is a problem because it puts the system at risk when an event occurs that requires the generators to respond quickly. If the system frequency goes outside of the control system's dead band, the generators cannot respond quickly, potentially leading to a system-wide blackout.
The Australian and UK power systems have exhibited poor control over system frequency, which may be due to their respective ancillary services markets. In 2017, the Australian NEM recorded more than $200 million in frequency control ancillary services payments. Despite this, there appears to be no correlation between frequency control and the volume of ancillary service payments. The main land frequency control in Australia has been described as "bang-bang" control, which does not respond to changes in system frequency until it is too late.
Australia's electrical frequency is 50 Hz, with a narrow operating band of 49.85–50.15 Hz. If the frequency strays outside of this band, the system operator must quickly adjust generation or load to maintain the balance of supply and demand. This is a challenge in Australia due to the lack of response to changes in system frequency.
The issue of poor frequency control in Australia is holding back the introduction of renewable generation. A more rational approach to frequency control is needed to successfully negotiate the technical obstacles currently facing the industry.
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Frequency regulation issues increase the risk of system-wide blackouts
In Australia, the electrical frequency of mains electricity is 50 Hz.
Frequency regulation is critical to preventing blackouts, which are a complete loss of power to a wider area and are the most severe form of power outage. Frequency regulation issues can increase the risk of system-wide blackouts in several ways. Firstly, a wide frequency range can indicate an underlying problem with the power system, making it vulnerable to failure. For example, in the case of the SA blackout, the allowable tolerance on system frequency was too wide, leading to the Heywood Interconnector having little headroom when tornadoes knocked down transmission lines.
Secondly, frequency regulation issues can cause power plants to ramp down their load, increasing the load on interconnectors between regions. If these interconnectors trip due to high power flows, it can lead to a blackout. This was seen in the SA blackout, where the Torrens Island Power Station was ramping down in load, contributing to an increase in flows across the Heywood Interconnector, ultimately causing it to trip.
Thirdly, frequency regulation issues can lead to a lack of regulation in some regions, making them vulnerable to unforeseen events that could cause blackouts. For example, tie line control should be implemented at weak points to prevent interconnector flows from reaching dangerous levels. Without this control, unforeseen events like transmission line failures can cause a cascading failure of a larger section of the network, leading to a system-wide blackout.
Finally, frequency regulation issues can impact the ability to balance power generation and electrical load. In power supply networks, power generation and load must be closely matched to avoid overloading network components. If frequency regulation is inadequate, it can lead to overloading and damage to network components, potentially causing a blackout.
To mitigate the risk of system-wide blackouts due to frequency regulation issues, it is crucial to tighten allowable frequency tolerances, implement tie line control, and improve frequency regulation to balance power generation and load. These measures can help prevent the occurrence of wide-ranging and severe blackouts.
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Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz)
The electrical frequency in Australia is 50 Hz, which is also the standard frequency in Europe. In the International System of Units (SI), the unit of frequency is called the hertz (Hz). It is a derived unit based on the second (s), one of the seven base units in the SI standard. The hertz is defined as one cycle per second for periodic events. In other words, one hertz means that one cycle or event is repeated every second. For example, a disc rotating at 60 revolutions per minute (rpm) has a frequency of rotation of 1 Hz.
The hertz unit of measure is named after Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894), a German physicist who provided conclusive proof of the existence of electromagnetic waves. He carried out experiments that demonstrated the existence of EM radiation and confirmed James Clerk Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. The name "hertz" was established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1935 and later adopted by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in 1960.
The hertz is used to measure specific frequencies, particularly in the context of electromagnetic (EM) radiation, sound, and other vibrations. It is also used to describe the clock speeds of computers and other electronic devices. In computing, clock speeds are typically measured in gigahertz. Hertz can be expressed in multiples, such as kilohertz (kHz), megahertz (MHz), gigahertz (GHz), and terahertz (THz), especially when dealing with high frequencies.
The range of human hearing is generally between about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and each musical note corresponds to a particular frequency, known as its pitch. For instance, the pitch of middle C on a piano is 263 Hz.
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Australia's electrical frequency is impacted by traditional units
Australia's electrical system operates on a 230V, 50Hz standard. This means that electricity alternates at a frequency of 50 cycles per second. This is important to know for anyone bringing electrical devices from overseas, as using a mismatched transformer can lead to overheating, inefficient power output, or damage to devices.
The transition to the current electrical frequency standard was a gradual process. In the early 20th century, Australia, like many other countries, lacked standardization, and different voltages and frequencies were used across different regions. This created challenges for appliance compatibility and grid interconnection. To address these issues, Australia decided to standardize its electrical system. The choice of 50Hz for the frequency was due to its prevalence in Europe, a major trading partner at the time.
The 230V standard was adopted later, in 1983, as part of a 20-year plan to align with the European IEC38 standard and promote greater compatibility with international markets. Prior to 1958, some parts of Australia operated on a 40Hz frequency, a legacy of early power generation systems. The transition to the now-standard 50Hz frequency involved significant infrastructure upgrades and appliance modifications but ultimately paved the way for a more unified and efficient national power grid.
However, in 2018, it was observed that the frequency was being impacted by traditional units, with the Australian and UK power systems exhibiting poor control over system frequency, possibly due to their respective ancillary services markets. This lack of frequency control can impact inter-regional constraints and put the system at risk, especially in the case of events that require generators to respond quickly, such as loss of generation in a region.
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The Australian NEM paid over $200 million for frequency control in 2017
The National Electricity Market (NEM) is an arrangement in Australia's electricity sector that connects the electricity transmission grids of eastern and southern Australian states and territories. The Australian Energy Market Commission develops and maintains the Australian National Electricity Rules (NER), which are enforced by the Australian Energy Regulator. The day-to-day management of NEM is handled by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
In 2017, the NEM recorded more than $200 million in frequency control ancillary services payments. However, this resulted in Australia having the poorest frequency control in the developed world. An analysis of the publicly available payment and recovery records revealed that there was no correlation between frequency control and the volume of ancillary service payments, the various FCAS market prices, or any events on the system that cause frequency deviations.
The term "frequency control" is misleading, as the ancillary services market in the NEM could be more accurately described as a "generation dispatch balancing market." This service assists in balancing what the dispatch engine requests generators to output and what the system actually requires. While this service may be useful for operating a real-time market with imperfect power dispatch, it does not relate to system frequency control.
The NEM covers a vast area, with one of the world's longest interconnected power systems stretching over 5,000 kilometres between Port Douglas, Queensland, and Port Lincoln, South Australia. During the 2017-18 financial year, 203 TWh of electricity, worth AU$17 billion, was traded through the NEM, serving 9.7 million end-use consumers. The NEM includes five regions and has five state-based transmission network service providers (TNSPs), with cross-border interconnectors allowing electricity to flow between states.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia's electrical frequency is 50 Hz.
The split between 50 Hz and 60 Hz power systems is a quirky relic of early electrical engineering, rooted in competing industrial ambitions and practical choices made over a century ago.
Most countries in the world use 50 Hz electrical frequency. Only around 40 countries use 60 Hz.
The NEM has several markets meant to control system frequency. However, it has been noted that the Australian and UK power systems exhibit the worst control over system frequency, possibly due to their respective ancillary services markets.
