GE Energy Consulting completed a report for the Western Interconnection Regional Advisory Body (“WIRAB”) on primary frequency response (“PFR”). PFR is crucial in the reliable operation of the electric grid. With the rapidly changing resource mix in the West and the rest of the country, there is a concern that there may not be enough PFR in the future to protect the system in the case of a large system disturbance. In this report, GE Energy Consulting provides a technical introduction to PFR, some of the advantages and disadvantages of certain resources providing PFR, some of the current issues with PFR, and what the future of PFR might hold. WIRAB used this report, as well as other work, to help provide advice to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s 2016 Notice on Inquiry on Essential Reliability Services and the Evolving Bulk-Power System – Primary Frequency Response (Docket No.: RM16-6).
04-20-16-Lew-Miller-Final-Report-Primary-Frequency-Response