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Load sharing: 600 MVA and 500 MVA, 4%/6% droop

Short answer

Compute stiffness: K1 = 250 MW/Hz, K2 = 138.89 MW/Hz. Frequency drops by 90/388.89 = 0.231 Hz to 59.77 Hz. Unit 1 output rises to 557.86 MW, Unit 2 to 432.14 MW.

Two generating units has following rating and droop characteristics: Unit – 1: 600 MVA, R1 = 4%; Unit – 2: 500 MVA, R2 = 6%. These two units are operating in parallel and sharing a total load of 900 MW at nominal frequency of 60 Hz. Unit – 1 supplies 500 MW and unit – 2 supplies 400 MW. If the load increases by 90 MW, calculate the new frequency and new generation of each generator.

Both units share the load increase in proportion to Pr/RP_r/R, and the frequency falls to a common new value.

Method: with droop RiR_i (pu, on its own rating PriP_{ri}) and rated frequency f0f_0, the droop line of each unit gives

ΔPi=−PriRi f0 Δf=−Ki Δf\Delta P_i = -\frac{P_{ri}}{R_i\, f_0}\,\Delta f = -K_i\,\Delta f

where Ki=Pri/(Rif0)K_i = P_{ri}/(R_i f_0) is the stiffness of the unit in MW/Hz. For the units together, ΔPL=−Δf ∑Ki\Delta P_L = -\Delta f\,\sum K_i.

Data: Unit 1: 600 MVA, R1=0.04R_1 = 0.04; Unit 2: 500 MVA, R2=0.06R_2 = 0.06; f0=60f_0 = 60 Hz. Initial: P1=500P_1 = 500 MW, P2=400P_2 = 400 MW. ΔPL=90\Delta P_L = 90 MW. (MVA ratings are used as the MW base, i.e. unity power factor rating.)

Stiffness:

K1=6000.04×60=250 MW/HzK2=5000.06×60=138.89 MW/HzK1+K2=388.89 MW/Hz\begin{aligned} K_1 &= \frac{600}{0.04 \times 60} = 250\ \text{MW/Hz} \\ K_2 &= \frac{500}{0.06 \times 60} = 138.89\ \text{MW/Hz} \\ K_1 + K_2 &= 388.89\ \text{MW/Hz} \end{aligned}

New frequency:

Δf=−90388.89=−0.2314 Hzfnew=60−0.2314=59.769 Hz\begin{aligned} \Delta f &= -\frac{90}{388.89} = -0.2314\ \text{Hz} \\ f_{new} &= 60 - 0.2314 = 59.769\ \text{Hz} \end{aligned}

(In per unit, Δf=−0.003857\Delta f = -0.003857 pu.)

New generation:

ΔP1=250×0.2314=57.86 MWΔP2=138.89×0.2314=32.14 MW\begin{aligned} \Delta P_1 &= 250 \times 0.2314 = 57.86\ \text{MW} \\ \Delta P_2 &= 138.89 \times 0.2314 = 32.14\ \text{MW} \end{aligned}
UnitRatingDroopInitial (MW)Increase (MW)New (MW)
1600 MVA4 %50057.86557.86
2500 MVA6 %40032.14432.14

Check: 57.86+32.14=9057.86 + 32.14 = 90 MW.

Answer: New frequency ≈ 59.77 Hz (drop of 0.231 Hz); unit 1 generates 557.86 MW and unit 2 generates 432.14 MW.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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