Preventive Dispatch for Transmission De-icing

This letter introduces a novel approach to prevent ice formation on transmission lines during ice storms. First, weather forecast is used to calculate minimum currents needed to raise the conductor temperature above the freezing point. Then, a preventive unit commitment model is developed to enforce those minimum limits. Simulation studies are conducted on the three-area RTS-96 system. The results confirm the effectiveness of the developed model in preventing ice formation, through adjustment of generation dispatch and slightly increasing the cost. Limitations of the work are also discussed.