PLEXOS 6.301 Release Notes
1. Upgrade Compatibility
This version will automatically upgrade any previous Version 5 or Version 6 database. You may need to check the upgrade notes of earlier releases for any compatibility issues.
Databases in 6.301 format will retro-grade without manual changes to 6.300.
This release of PLEXOS is largely focused on implementing a number of customer-requested features across the product feature set.
2. Changes
The following are the changes to existing functionality between this version and 6.300:
2.1. Gas Pipelines
Gas pipeline flow is now allowed to be bi-directional, and limits and charges can be defined in each direction.
2.2. Contingencies
Additional properties are available for contingency class and transmission settings. These allow finer control over the number of monitored elements in each contingency
3. Features
3.1. Nodal Transmission for PASA
PASA supports Transmission Detail = "Nodal". In addition changes have been made to the "Zonal" whereby nodes that are not assigned to a zone are modelled to the node level. Input properties supporting nodal PASA are also included such as Max Maintenance.
3.2. Discount Rate
MT Schedule and ST Schedule now include properties to define discount rate in these mid-term and short-term simulation phases. This is particularly useful for the stochastic hydro modelling whereby the future value of storage can be discounted rather than assuming nominal values for future costs.
3.3. Stochastic Variable Sampling Techniques
The new property Variable Sampling Period Type in combination with Sampling Frequency allows a user-defined set of samples to be re-sampled periodically e.g. you might define five historical inflow samples, but what a scenario tree built which stages every month. This provides a very convenient way to produce a scenario tree from a limited number of historical samples.
3.4. Squared-terms
The decision variable class now supports squared terms in constraint equations.
4. User Interface
No significant changes
5. New Inputs
New inputs are:
| Collection | Property | Relates To |
|---|---|---|
| MT Schedule | Discount Rate | Discount Rate |
| MT Schedule | Discount Period Type | A unique discount factor will be computed for each of these periods. |
| MT Schedule | End Effects Method | Method used to account for end of horizon discounting |
| MT Schedule | Discount Rate | Discount Rate. |
| ST Schedule | Discount Period Type | Discount Period Type |
| ST Schedule | End Effects Method | Method used to account for end of horizon discounting. |
| Transmission | Contingency Monitoring Threshold | Monitory only this percentage of most affected Line/Transformer/Interface flows. |
| Diagnostic | Storage Decomposition | Write diagnostics for storage decomposition |
| Diagnostic | NPV | Write diagnostics for LT Plan NPV of optimal plan. |
| Diagnostic | Include in Capacity Payments | If this generator receives capacity payments. |
| Generator | Supply Settlement Model | Model used to determine priced paid to suppliers |
| Market | Demand Settlement Model | Model used to determine price paid by purchasers |
| Gas Pipeline | Max Flow Back Hour/Day/Week/Month/Year | Maximum quantity of gas that can be extracted from the pipeline sending node. |
| Gas Pipeline | Flow Charge Back | Incremental cost of extracting gas at the pipeline sending node. |
| Gas Pipeline | Outage Max Flow Back | Pipeline Max Flow Back during the outage. |
| Zone | Load Settlement Model | Model used to determine energy prices reported in the zone. |
| Zone | Units | Flag if the Zone is in service |
| Node | Max Maintenance | Maximum generation capacity allowed to be scheduled on maintenance. |
| Node | Maintenance Factor | Maintenance biasing factor |
| Node | Min Capacity Reserves | Minimum capacity reserves |
| Node | Min Capacity Reserve Margin | Minimum capacity reserve margin |
| Contingency | Monitoring Threshold | Monitor only this percentage of most affected Line/Transformer/Interface flows. |
| Variable | Sampling Period Type | Period type of temporal sampling where number of periods between samples in [sampling Frequency] |
| Constraint Generators | Hours of Pump Operation Coefficient | Coefficient of number of hours the generating unit is running in pump mode. |
| Constraint Generators | Sync Cond Load Coefficient | Coefficient of synchronous condenser load |
| Constraint Generators | Units Sync Cond Coefficient | Coefficient of number of units running in synchronous condenser mode |
| Constraint Generators | Hours of Sync Cond Operation Coefficient | Coefficient of number of hours the generating unit is running in synchronous condenser mode. |
| Constraint Gas Pipelines | Flow Forward Coefficient | Coefficient of gas pipeline flow at the receiving node. |
| Constraint Gas Pipelines | Flow Back Coefficient | Coefficient of gas pipeline flow at the sending node |
| Constraint Decision Variables | Value Squared Coefficient | Coefficient of Decision Variable value squared. |
6. New Outputs
New outputs are:
| Collection | Property | Relates To |
|---|---|---|
| Generator | Hours at Minimum | Number of hours that generation is constrained to minimum |
| Generator | Inflexible Generation | Amount of generation capacity constrained on and inflexible |
| Generator | Hours of Pump Operation | Number of hours the unit is operating in pump mode |
| Generator | Units Sync Cond | Number of units operating in synchronous condenser mode |
| Generator | Sync Cond Load | Load drawn by a unit in synchronous condenser mode |
| Generator | Hours of Sync Cond Operation | Number of hours the unit is operating in synchronous condenser mode |
| Generator | Sync Cond Price Paid | Price paid for synchronous condenser load |
| Emission Generators | Incremental Production Rate | Incremental rate of emission production by the generator |
| Market | Natural Revenue | Values of sales to the market ignoring bid-ask spread |
| Market | Natural Cost | Cost of purchases from the market ignoring bid-ask spread |
| Region | Flexibility Up | Amount of additional generation that could be provided |
| Region | Flexibility Down | Amount of generation that could be unloaded |
| Region | Ramp Flexibility Up | Amount of unused ramp up capability |
| Region | Ramp Flexibility Down | Amount of unused ramp down capability |
| Region | Hours at Minimum | Number of hours that generation is constrained at minimum. |
| Region | Inflexible Generation | Amount of generation capacity constrained on and inflexible |
| Region | Available Capacity Reserves | Capacity Reserves based on Available Capacity |
| Region | Available Capacity Margin | Capacity Reserve Margin based on Available Capacity |
| Zone | Flexibility Up | Amount of additional generation that could be provided |
| Zone | Flexibility Down | Amount of generation that could be unloaded |
| Zone | Ramp Flexibility Up | Hours at Minimum |
| Zone | Ramp Flexibility Down | Amount of unused ramp down capability |
| Zone | Hours at Minimum | Number of hours that generation is constrained to minimum |
| Zone | Inflexible Generation | Amount of generation capacity constrained on and inflexible |
| Zone | Available Capacity Reserves | Capacity Reserves based on Available Capacity |
| Zone | Available Capacity Margin | Capacity Reserve Margin based on available capacity |
| Node | Generation Capacity | Rated capacity (Rating x Units) |
| Node | Firm Generation Capacity | Firm capacity provided by generator |
| Node | Curtailable Load | Curtailable (dispatchable) load. |
| Node | Contract Generation Capacity | Physical contract generation capacity |
| Node | Contract Load Obligation | Physical contract load obligation |
| Node | Import Capacity | Total import capacity to the node |
| Node | Export Capacity | Total export capacity from the node |
| Node | Net Capacity Interchange | Export Capability - Import Capability |
| Node | Min Capacity Reserves | Minimum capacity reserves allowed |
| Node | Capacity Reserves | Capacity reserves (net of Peak Load) |
| Node | Discrete Maintenance | Discrete maintenance (defined by Units Out). |
| Node | Distributed Maintenance | Maintenance notionally allocated to period |
| Node | Maintenance Factor | Maintenance Factor |
| Node | EENS | Expected energy not served |
| Node | EDNS | Expected demand not served |
| Node | LOLE | Number of days of outage |
| Node | LOLP | Loss of load probability |