Evolution of grid frequency behavior in Great Britain : A comparative study of 2013 and 2023

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Nordena, Noreta and Hong, Qiteng and Kawal, Kevin and Dysko, Adam and Booth, Campbell (2026) Evolution of grid frequency behavior in Great Britain : A comparative study of 2013 and 2023. In: IEEE PES ISGT Europe 2026, 2026-10-19 - 2026-10-22. (In Press)

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Abstract

Great Britain’s power system has changed significantly over the past decade as a result of decarbonization and frequency response service reforms. This paper presents a comparison of the frequency dynamic behavior in GB in 2013 and 2023, looking at frequency distribution, drift outside the operational limits, and contingency events. The frequency distribution was found to have become more dispersed but more symmetric; new modes of distribution can be observed at 50±0.1 Hz during several months in 2023. Overall, time spent outside the operational limits was found to have more than doubled, but the difference between time at low and high frequency has reduced. The mode of the duration of individual limit breaches has changed from 5-9 seconds to 1-3 seconds. Significant system events in 2013 show a mixture of the traditional frequency control shape with fast recovery and a flatter shape with slow recovery, the frequency remaining low for minutes after the event; similar events in 2023 only show slow recovery. The results indicate that, while inertia and generation mix do contribute to frequency behavior, the main features may be linked with frequency response service design.

ORCID iDs

Nordena, Noreta ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1867-3280, Hong, Qiteng ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9122-1981, Kawal, Kevin, Dysko, Adam ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3658-7566 and Booth, Campbell ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3869-4477;
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