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• Power Plant (Electric Plant) is a station that houses prime movers, electric generators, and auxiliaries for converting mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy into useful electrical energy
• Power Plant Engineering is the art of designing and installing power generating equipment to maximize return on investment with minimal expenditure over the plant's expected life
• Objectives of the Study in Power Plant Engineering:

  • Cheaper operation and generation costs
  • Reliability of service with minimal outage
  • Clean Energy using renewable sources to ensure cleanliness and healthy conditions
• Generation of Electrical Energy is the conversion of energy available in nature into electrical energy
• Types of Power Plant According to Uses:

  • Base Load Plant: Assumes load requirements under normal conditions, operates almost 24 hours a day. Examples include Nuclear, Hydro, and Coal fired power plants
  • Peaking Plant: Operated during peak load periods, quick to respond but uses expensive fuel like diesel or natural gas
  • Peak Load: The maximum demand of an installation or system during specific hours, above the base load
  • Connected Load: Combined continuous contingencies on the system, like generation deficiencies due to outages or maintenance periods
• Backup Reserve:

  • Generating unit with fast start capability
  • Can synchronize with the grid to provide declared capacity for a minimum of 8 hours
  • Also known as "Cold Standby Reserve"
• Cold Reserve:

  • Reserve capacity available for service but not ready for immediate loading
  • Reserve generating capacity available for service but not in operation
• Spinning Reserve:

  • Component of contingency reserve synchronized to the grid and ready to take on load
  • Also called "Hot Standby Reserve"
  • Generating capacity connected to the bus or grid and ready to take load
• Hot Reserve:

  • Reserve capacity that can be made available quickly
  • Reserve generating capacity in operation but not in service
• Contingency Reserve:

  • Generating capacity intended for loss of largest generating synchronized unit or power import from a single grid interconnection
  • Includes spinning reserve and backup reserve
  • Contingency Reserve = Backup Reserve + Spinning Reserve
• Frequency Regulating Reserve:

  • Generating unit assisting in frequency control by providing automatic primary and/or secondary frequency response
• Operating Margin Reserve:

  • Margin of generation of total demand plus losses ensuring power quality and security of the grid
  • Generating capacity available within a short interval to meet demand in case of disruptions
  • Operating Margin Reserve = Contingency Reserve + Frequency Regulating Reserve
• Firm Power or Firm Reserve:

  • Power producing capacity available at all times during the period covered by guaranteed commitment to deliver
  • Also known as "reserve capacity of the plant used for meeting emergency conditions"
  • Power intended to be always available