Electricity dispatch, accidents, and experience in the age of automation: a study of the central load dispatch center in Korea and the nationwide rolling blackout in 2011

Abstract

This thesis traces the automation history of electricity dispatch at the Central Load Dispatch Center(CLDC) in Korea Power Exchange(KPX) and examines follow-up measures of KPX and problems issued by an inspector of the National Assembly Research Service and a member of the National Assembly, based on such history. Since its establishment in 1961, electricity dispatch tasks at CLDC have been automated as new systems such as AFC(Automatic Frequency Controller), ELD(Economic Load Dispatch), EMS(Energy Management System), and NEMS(New Energy Management System) were introduced to CLDC. Consequently, dispatchers’ tasks have been changed from the manual calculation and data acquisition via the Dispatch Telephone for the quality and economy to the vigilance over accidents within the electric power system and malfunctions of the automatic electricity dispatch systems to ensure the reliable electricity supply. At the same time, attitudes toward accidents and concept of experience have changed. Before and in the early stage of automation, accidents in the electric power system happened frequently, and dispatchers obtained experience from accident recovery. However, dispatchers could not obtain experience in the previous way as the number of accidents was reduced and the national economy became more dependent on electricity. As a result, dispatchers learn experience by training with Dispatcher Training Simulator. Meanwhile, the unprecedented nationwide rolling blackout occurred in 2011 and caused economic damage to all parts of the country. After the blackout, Ho-Ki Nam was inaugurated as a new chairman of KPX and announced follow-up measures, emphasizing dispatchers’ expertise and experience. By contrast, Jae Kook Yu, an inspector of the National Assembly Research Service, and Jeong Hee Jeon, a member of the National Assembly pointed out that electricity dispatch has relied on dispatchers’ experience and sense, and argued that the automatic electricity dispatch system ...