Adding or Changing Areas

NOTE: All loads and resources are in existing areas in the database. Creating a new area will require modification to existing area loads and resources.  As a general rule, a new area should only be created where there are sufficient transmission costs and capacity constraints to create significant price differentials between two regions.  When sufficient transmission exists (and costs are low), electric market prices should be approximately uniform and the areas can be modeled as a single area. The position of individual entities can be reported in the portfolio analysis.

Steps Required to Change or Create Areas in the AURORA Database:

1. Decide how you want to manage your changes.

   1. Use Change Sets:  This method is used to preserve the underlying database and apply changes as needed.  It is especially useful if you want to compare results with/without the changes.

   2. Save changes permanently to database:  Make a copy of the existing database to preserve the original data.  Then change the reference to the new database in Aurora by clicking the Change Database button on the Data Assumptions Toolbar.  This setting, as with other settings, is preserved by saving a Project file.  As you make changes, use the Save to DB button to apply changes to the underlying database.

2. Determine the new areas that you wish to create. You will need to make changes to each of the following tables (specific information on each is available by clicking the table name):

• Areas TableAreas Table

  Add the new area(s) to the Areas Table in the input database. After opening the table, use the Add Row button to add the additional rows for the number of areas being added. Make sure the area number is not already in use and include the name for the new area.

• Demand Escalation TableDemand Escalation Table

  Add columns to the Demand Escalation Table that correspond to the new area(s). The data or vectors in these columns can be created or copied from existing columns.

• Demand Hourly TableDemand Hourly Table

  Add the new areas(s) to the Demand Hourly Table.  After opening the table, add columns for the number of areas being added. The hourly shaping factors can be created or copied from existing columns.  The data supplied in the default table is normalized to average a value of one for each month.

• Demand Monthly TableDemand Monthly Table

  Add columns to the Demand Monthly Table that correspond to the new area(s). The data in these columns can also be copied from existing columns in the database or newly created.  The data supplied in the default table is normalized to average a value of one for the year (the average of rows 1 - 12 equals one).  The average annual energy found in row 13 in this table should be adjusted to reflect any shift in load from one area to another.

• Hydro Monthly TableHydro Monthly Table

  Add columns to the Hydro Monthly table that correspond to the new area(s).  Generally you can copy the columns from the existing area to the newly created area unless you have additional information on hydro.

• Hydro Vectors TableHydro Vectors Table

  Add columns to the Hydro Vectors table that correspond to the new area(s).  Generally you can copy the columns from the existing area to the newly created area unless you have additional information on hydro.

• Link TableLink Table

  Add rows to the Link Table that correspond to the new area(s).  Two rows will need to be added for each transmission link between the each new area and an existing area.  Redefine the capacity, wheeling charges, and losses for each direction of the new transmission links.

• New Resources TableNew Resources Table

  New resources will need to be available for the newly created area(s). This may be done by adding rows to the New Resources Table for the new area(s) and copying the new resources from an existing area to the new area. Remember to change the area number for the new resources. Or you may have specific new resource alternatives for the new area that you will need to include in the table.

• Resources TableResources Table

  Identify the resources that correspond to the newly defined area(s) and make adjustments in the Resources Table. This table contains all the resources in the database and will require a reallocation of the resources from existing areas to the newly defined area(s).  Additional Demand Side Curtailment resources will also need to be added for the new area(s). Review the demand side curtailment resources in the existing Resources table and add the appropriate resources for the new area(s).

• Zone Definition TableZone Definition Table

  The newly created area(s) must be added to all of the existing systems in the Zone Definition Table.  For a system that will include a new area in an existing zone, add the new area number in the next available "Org Area" column.  For a system that will assign a new area on its own or in a new zone, add a row for the new zone in the system and assign the area as appropriate.

3. When you have completed the above steps refer to Creating a System Diagram.

NOTE: Check through all of the changes carefully, run a short test study and examine the results to ensure these changes were included properly.

Input Tables

Areas

Adding or Changing Areas

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For further assistance, please contact Aurora Support.

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