Available Transfer Capability Assessment in Power Systems
Summary
Available Transfer Capability (ATC) represents the remaining capacity of an electric transmission network to accommodate additional power transfers beyond existing commitments while respecting reliability, security and operational constraints. It is defined as the difference between Total Transfer Capability (TTC) and Existing Transfer Capability (ETC), less allowances for Transmission Reliability Margin (TRM) and Capacity Benefit Margin (CBM). ATC assessment has evolved from static load-flow methods to incorporate probabilistic and dynamic considerations arising from increased renewable generation, market deregulation and contingency requirements. Modern approaches harness continuation power flow and optimal power flow formulations to capture voltage, thermal and stability limits, while advanced statistical techniques address uncertainty in load demand and generation output. Emerging frameworks integrate transient stability analysis and dynamic system modelling to ensure that transfer assessments remain robust under n–1 contingency scenarios. Computational efficiency has become paramount, driving the adoption of metaheuristic algorithms and adaptive sensitivity analyses to enable real-time or near-real-time ATC calculation. By accurately quantifying transfer margins, system operators can optimise network utilisation, mitigate congestion, facilitate bilateral and multilateral trading and support the seamless integration of distributed energy resources on a global scale.
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Available Transfer Capability Assessment in Power Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in available transfer capability assessment in power systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Available Transfer Capability (ATC): The transfer capacity remaining in a transmission network beyond existing commitments, available for further commercial activity.
Total Transfer Capability (TTC): The maximum power transfer possible over the network considering all system limits under specified conditions.
Existing Transfer Capability (ETC): The portion of the transmission capacity already allocated or committed to existing transactions.
Transmission Reliability Margin (TRM): A reserve margin to cover uncertainties and ensure system security during unforeseen events.
Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS): Power electronic devices used to control line parameters and optimise power flows.
Optimal Power Flow (OPF): A mathematical approach to determine the best operating conditions of a power system subject to technical constraints.
Continuation Power Flow (CPF): A numerical technique to trace system loading limits and assess voltage stability margins.
Dynamic ATC: An assessment of transfer capability that incorporates time-domain stability and contingency analysis beyond static limits.
References
- Available Transfer Capability Enhancement by FACTS Devices Using Metaheuristic Evolutionary Particle Swarm Optimization (MEEPSO) Technique. Energies (2021).
- An efficient differential equation load flow method to assess dynamic available transfer capability with wind farms. IET Renewable Power Generation (2021).
- Available Transfer Capability Determination for the Electricity Market using Cuckoo Search Algorithm. Engineering Technology & Applied Science Research (2020).
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