Research on Coordinated Planning for Enhancing Flexibility in Regional Coal-Fired Power Generation

To enhance the operational flexibility of coal-fired power plants in supporting high penetration of renewable energy, this paper focuses on the coordinated planning of regional coal-fired power flexibility upgrades. Existing research typically optimizes deep peak-shaving modifications on the boiler side of condensing units and thermal-electric decoupling technologies separately, with most studies neglecting the impact of grid structural constraints. this paper first systematically analyses the operational characteristics of four technical approaches: deep peak shaving modifications on the boiler side, zero-output modifications for low-pressure cylinders, electric boilers, and thermal storage devices. Subsequently, a mixed-integer linear programming model incorporating grid topology is constructed. This model aims to minimize total system costs, enabling the coordinated configuration and operational optimization of multiple technical pathways. A case study based on an enhanced IEEE 14-node system demonstrates that integrated optimization of these technologies reduces total system costs by 5.98% and curtailment rates for wind and solar power by 15.68%. The results validate that the proposed collaborative planning approach effectively integrates complementary advantages across different technologies, significantly lowering system costs and alleviating pressure on renewable energy integration. It also reveals that the flexibility regulation capacity of coal-fired power plants is influenced by their node position within the grid.