FCAS CONFORMANCE MONITORING

FCAS Provider Obligations

The regulation of frequency in the National Electricity Market is managed through frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) – one of four ancillary services used by AEMO to manage the power system securely and safeguard supply quality.

FCAS providers (registered power generators) who bid their services into the FCAS markets must be able to show their conformance to the ancillary services specification. Insulect provide an FCAS conformance monitoring solution that is operating in numerous monitoring applications across the power system.

FCAS APPLICATION AND SERVICES

FCAS is concerned with balancing power supply and demand over short time intervals throughout the power system. This is done by maintaining appropriate levels of contingency reserve and regulating reserve.

AEMO procures FCAS to ensure that when an event occurs on the power system – e.g. loss of the largest generator or loss of an inter-connector and subsequent islanding of a region – frequency is maintained within the standards.

Constraint equations are used by AEMO to determine the amount of FCAS required for each of the 8 services. Constraints are used to specify global requirements, local requirements for one or more regions, and for co-optimisation of local FCAS requirements against inter-connector flow in the event of the inter-connector being declared a credible contingency risk.

Flexible Sampling Rates

Flexible DFR sampling rates of up to 512 samples per cycle meets both Fast Raise and Slow Raise services required for FCAS. Flexible DDR sampling rates of up to 100 Hz for continuous recording.

Simultaneous Measurements

Simultaneous measuring of the fault current eliminates need to decrease full scale deflection (FSD) of analogue channels to achieve better accuracy.

Data Automation

Automatic polling, decimation, conversion and reporting are standard using Autopoll or iQ+ software, simplifying the reporting task.

Multifunction system

In addition to FCAS conformance, the IDM+ / iQ+ system is well suited to broader generation power system monitoring and compliance reporting.

FCAS Conformance Monitoring
by Qualitrol

A MODULAR PLATFORM

The FCAS Monitoring application is delivered using the Qualitrol IDM+ platform, a multifunction power system monitor that has been performing this function for well over a decade across Australia.

In order to capture the required FCAS conformance data, the power flow representing the amount of generation and the local frequency must be measured at or close to each of the relevant connection points (National Electricity Rules 3.11.7a).

The combination of the modular Qualitrol IDM+ monitor and iQ+ software is being utilised in several generation monitoring applications across Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

FCAS with iQ+

• Standard automatic decimation in iQ+ software via “Decimation Factor” feature (no need for custom software)

• Embedded auto comtrade program in iQ+

• Exporting to CSV file from iQ+ and waveform viewer program enables transfer of waveforms to spreadsheets

• Automatic reporting functions with notification and delivery via email, text message, server location

FCAS with Autopoll

• Standalone polling software provides simple solution for FCAS data capture - does not require iQ+ software

• Polling up to 50Hz with a maximum of 5 devices - auto-comtrade

• Polling up to 1Hz with an unlimited number of devices - auto-comtrade

• Includes DDR-T and DDR-C triggered and continuous data capture

Multi-function Capability

Qualitrol iQ+ is not just for FCAS Reporting. It is a complete network monitoring software package for the configuration, collection and analysis of data from the Qualitrol range. This includes Digital Fault Recording, Dynamic Disturbance Recording, Travelling Wave Fault Location, Power Quality Monitoring and Phasor Measurement.

IEC 61850 Ready

With IEC 61850 Ed.2 fully utilised within the IDM+, the Qualitrol PSM platform is designed to meet both current and future state substation automation architectures.

FCAS Reporting System

For a summary on the FCAS application and how Insulect provide a multifunction solution for Generation power systems, download our application note.

Power System Monitoring Services

System Design & Development

Insulect provide complete monitoring system development, working in collaboration with customer teams to provide engineering design, panel build and integration, system commissioning and software configuration. We design systems to best meet customer challenges, information needs and existing network architecture.

Whether you're a Power Generator that is already an FCAS participant or you’re looking to become one, our team can help you understand how the FCAS reporting process can be simplified for your organisation.