Knoxville, Tenn. December 7, 2005 - EnerNex® Corporation, an electric power engineering and consulting firm specializing in the development and application of new electric power technologies, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the potential operational impacts of wind generation on utility power systems in the state. EnerNex has enlisted the assistance of WindLogics and AREVA T&D to perform this work. This study will build on EnerNex’s efforts in a 2004 study of the Xcel Energy-NSP control area for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, but will be expanded to include all electric utilities serving Minnesota customers.
The study focuses on the potential impacts on reliability and costs associated with increasing wind capacity to 20 percent of Minnesota retail energy sales by 2020. It will identify and develop options to manage the impacts of wind resources. The Reliability Administrator of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is administering the project at the direction of the Minnesota Legislature. The EnerNex team will closely coordinate with the utilities and the Minnesota Reliability Administrator in conducting the project.
The study will evaluate the effects of wind generation and variability on Balancing Authority regulation and load following requirements via high-resolution simulation of coordinated generation dispatch and control in the Midwest Independent System Operator control area. The initial evaluation will focus on benchmark and base generation expansion scenarios. Results will be analyzed to determine major drivers for integration cost and market impacts. On this basis, a number of potential solutions will be identified and evaluated.
According to Bob Zavadil, Vice-President and Principal Consultant for EnerNex, the key components of the project include accurate modeling and forecasting of wind patterns with simulation and analysis of power system operations: "This study builds on methodologies used in the 2004 study, and extends them to address the additional complexities and scope related to such a significant amount of wind generation in a large competitive energy market. The overall effort begins with an investigation of the wind patterns in the Upper Midwest to yield the most accurate models possible. Wind generation forecast accuracy will also be evaluated with the results forming a basis for the power system operational analysis. WindLogics is recognized for its work in meteorological analysis and forecasting and AREVA T&D has tools and expertise in power system operation and control. For our earlier study, we proposed a well-respected team of experts and a unique approach that Xcel Energy and Minnesota officials determined best met their needs."
EnerNex Corporation provides engineering and consulting services, along with software solutions and customization, for the electric power industry. EnerNex focuses on providing services around the development and application of new and emerging electric power technologies to engineer a cleaner, smarter energy system of the future. For more information on EnerNex, visit www.enernex.com.
Contact: Carrie Parks
Phone: 865-218-4600 ext.6142
carrie@enernex.com
www.enernex.com
