4. SUMMARY The results of this study demonstrate that physical factors which influence the siting of proposed generating plants in a localized electric power system can be successfully modelled in mathematical form. Such models can be used to obtain information concerning the sensitivity of their optimal solutions to various cost and environmental factors, which results in a generally improved understanding of the system as a working unit. In particular, the zero-one integer model has been developed for use in determining the optimal choice of locations for thermal generating plants in a sample problem, based on the lowest total cost of satisfying the demand for power in a given region. This application has demonstrated that, in the sample problem, the optimal solution depends critically and unpredictably on the temperature constraints assumed for the receiving water body. Such an analysis can be of immense value to public regulatory agencies and industry executives faced with siting decisions. Work on the less restrictive but currently unsolved mixed-integer and probabilistic models is the next step in the development of optimal siting models for thermal plants with temperature constraints. This constitutes a current objective of the physical program of the EEI Cooling Water Discharge Project. q Ri Number of load centers Total number of plant alternatives for all sites Number of different sites to be investigated Load-dependent cost rate for production at Stream flow Number of time periods under consideration in Unit temperature rise at the site of plant $/wk/MW °F/MW |