Power System Reliability Group
The Power System Reliability group was founded by Prof. Roy Billinton. The main research area of the group is Power system reliability and analysis. The research group is currently under the supervision of Prof. Rajesh Karki.
Our Objective
An electric power system is a large complex network of electrical components, which supplies and transfers electricity to customers. Its main function is to continuously satisfy the demand load, at an acceptable cost. It is, therefore, vital to plan for future needs of electricity, ensuring adequate reserves to meet increasing demand. Moreover, it is important to analyze the reliability of power systems, in order to limit the potential for interruption in the electrical services. The development of reliability models of energy source supply is key in the design and operation of reliable power systems. Power system reliability is mainly concerned with the two distinct areas of power system adequacy and power system security.
As more renewable energy sources are integrated into the conventional electric grid, they introduce some challenges that need to be addressed. The major concern of the renewable energy sources is their intermittency, variable nature and dependence on weather condition. Any kind of power system reliability evaluation needs to address this challenge. Development of accurate and appropriate reliability models that incorporates this variability is necessary to access how reliable the power system is. The use of analytical and simulation techniques and tools will be required in order to incorporate pertinent factors and enormous information into power system reliability analysis framework.
The overarching objective of the Power System Reliability Group is to achieve an electric power system that is very reliable at the right cost especially as the conventional electric grid as we know is being redefined with the incorporation of renewable energy sources.