INTELLIGENT CODING SCHEME WITH GREY WOLF ALGORITHM TO FETCH BETTER SOLUTIONS FOR FOSSIL FUELED UNIT COMMITMENT

This article proposes an intelligent coding scheme (real coded) with Grey Wolf Optimization (RCGWO) algorithm for solving thermal Unit Commitment (UC) problem in power system. The real coded scheme is introduced in the conventional GWO to minimize the operating cost and also to achieve faster convergence. The objective of UC is to attain cost-effective schedule of generating units over short span of planning horizon subjugating to the forecasted demand and system operating constraints. Here the scheduling variables are coded as real variables, so the minimum up/down time constraints can be handled directly. This coding scheme appears to be probable for solving the UC. Different test case containing 10 units, multiples of 10 units and a practical Tai power system are used to validate the effectiveness of RCGWO in solving generation scheduling problem. The ramp rate limits are imposed in order to verify the potential of the RCGWO for practical implication. The most important advantage of the RCGWO is highly robust and good convergence and it shows competitive performance with the best of the other methods proposed for the past two decades.