Optimization of power production through coordinated use of hydroelectric and conventional power units

In the present work a methodology to tackle the problem of simultaneous utilization of hydroelectric and conventional power units with the goal of optimizing power production operations over the short term is presented. Most problem formulations found in the literature result in the development of nonlinear optimization programs, which are solved with stochastic methods. The methodology presented in this paper leads to the development of a convex mixed integer quadratic programming (MIQP) model, which is a special type of nonlinear model that enables reaching the global optimum solution in short computational time. The efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated by its application to a realistic power production system.