15580 version 4

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Manage electricity generation dispatch

Level / 6
Credits / 10

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of principles of power system operation; identify generation and transmission status; implement generation dispatch; provide feedback to system operator on constraints; manage abnormal generation dispatch events; and report on generation dispatch management.

Subfield / Electricity Supply
Domain / Electricity Supply-Power System Management
Status / Registered
Status date / 11 December 2009
Date version published / 11 December 2009
Planned review date / 31 December 2014
Entry information / Recommended: Unit 15574, Demonstrate knowledge of the New Zealand electricity market operation and regulation,or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0120

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1This unit standard is intended for, but not restricted to, workplace assessment. The range statements across the unit standard can be applied according to industry specific equipment, procedures, and processes.

2Safety of personnel and plant must be a priority throughout the assessment. If the safety requirements are not met the assessment must stop.

3Performance and work practices in relation to the elements and performance criteria must comply with all current legislation, especially the Electricity Act 1992, and any regulations and codes of practice recognised under that statute; the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992; Electricity Governance Regulations and Rules (EGRs); and the Resource Management Act 1991. Electricity supply industry codes of practice and documented industry procedures include the Safety Manual – Electricity Industry (SM-EI) (2004) Wellington: Electricity Engineers’ Association. A full list of current legislation and industry codes is available from the Electricity Supply Industry Training Organisation, PO Box 1245, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240.

4The phrase in accordance with industry requirements is implicit in all elements and performance criteria in this unit standard.

5Industry requirementsinclude all asset owner requirements; manufacturers’ specifications; and enterprise requirements which cover the documented workplace policies, procedures, specifications, and business and quality management requirements relevant to the workplace in which assessment is carried out.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Demonstrate knowledge of principles of power system operation.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – power balances and frequency maintenance, transmission theory, voltages, generating plant, generation security, losses, load sharing, load control systems, reactive power generation and compensation, network circuit and plant protection, communications and System Control and Data Acquisition(SCADA) systems, computerised monitoring and control systems, system reliability and security, planning.

Performance criteria

1.1Theory of electrical power and energy is described in terms of active and reactive power.

1.2The principles of electrical power systems are described.

1.3Theory of generation control and dispatch is described.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – fuel values, offers, Electricity Governance Regulations and Rules (EGRs), ramp rates, start times, schedule compiling.

1.4Responsibilities of generation dispatcher are defined.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – reliability and security of system and supply, response to emergency events, transmission circuit and plant loading limits, sudden transmission constraints, islanding, maintenance of contracted voltage values at network nodes, developing and issuing dispatch instructions, monitoring performance.

Element 2

Identify generation and transmission status.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – transmission circuit and plant loading, on-line generating plant and other generating plant availability, indications and alarms, system and network node voltages.

Performance criteria

2.1Generation and transmission status is determined.

2.2Planned events that impact on status are identified and their impact determined and recorded.

2.3Controller handover procedures are completed ensuring that all relevant information is transferred to the new controller.

Element 3

Implement generation dispatch.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – generation dispatched as per dispatch schedule, active and reactive power balances maintained, frequency, time error, maintenance of contracted network node voltage values.

Performance criteria

3.1Dispatch decisions are determined in accordance with schedule requirements, plant status, and local knowledge ensuring that load and system security requirements are met.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – offered and accepted plant, plant availability, load following station or group, spinning reserve, options, alternatives, frequency keeper selection, dispatch management tool.

3.2Dispatch is carried out using the latest dispatch schedule.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – dispatch instruction viewer, scheduling pricing of dispatch software, communication of dispatch instructions.

3.3Generation controllers are kept up-to-date with dispatch requirements in a manner and timeframe which reflects the urgency of the requirements.

3.4The plant is operated within legislative and resource consent parameter requirements to meet system demand and reserve requirements.

3.5When system requirements are not met by generation schedule, optimisation tools are used to allocate active power demand to available generating plant.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – available plant, offered plant and acceptance, power balances, reserves, transmission constraints, resource consents.

3.6Grid security is determined.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – frequency disturbance, reserve assessment tool.

3.7Developed generation dispatch plans are clear and concise.

Element 4

Provide feedback to system operator on constraints.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – generation unavailability, transmission constraints, bona fide, re-offers.

Performance criteria

4.1Unplanned constraints and events are notified to the system operator.

4.2Incorrectly scheduled generation activities are notified to the system operator.

Element 5

Manage abnormal generation dispatch events.

Rangeemergency, unscheduled, abnormal condition, alarms.

Performance criteria

5.1System is stabilised.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – system frequency and or voltage excursions, system stable when dynamic parameters are back within the limits defined as normal.

5.2The event, and cause of event, is identified using all available resources.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – plant and equipment status indications, protection operation, SCADA, reports, local knowledge, defect notification, logging, reports.

5.3The event is acknowledged.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – alarms and protection flaggings acknowledged, logging, reports, time sequence, SCADA.

5.4Impact of event on the transmission network, its circuits and plant, public safety, customer service, and the environment is determined and responded to.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – integrity of system, security of supply, local control, remaining transmission circuit and plant loading limits, local control over SCADA, hazardous condition, contamination, Civil Defence.

5.5The event is analysed to identify options to remedy or mitigate undesired conditions and identify future actions using established analysis tools and products.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – restoration planning, contingency analysis tools, notification of defect to initiate repair, SCADA, Energy Management System tools.

5.6The event reporting is conducted.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – electronic mail, oral communication, logging, debriefing, publishing market information, reporting, manual event logging tool.

Element 6

Report on generation dispatch management.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – logging, reports.

Performance criteria

6.1Recorded information is accurate, complete, concise, and legible.

6.2Generation dispatch information is recorded in the required format and filed.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Electricity Supply Industry Training you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018