Optimization of CCGT Start-Up Ramp Rate to Improve Voltage Quality in a 110/220 kV Power System Node
Umysheva M.M. Sarsenbayev Y.A. Umyshev D.R.
February 2026Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Energies
2026#19Issue 4
With the active modernization of power facilities and the increasing deployment of maneuverable combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGTs), the selection of rational start-up strategies becomes increasingly important from the perspective of power quality. Excessive acceleration of power ramp-up may lead to undesirable voltage deviations, particularly in transmission networks with limited grid stiffness. This study investigates the impact of CCGT start-up ramp rate on voltage dynamics and power quality indicators at a 110/220 kV grid node. A detailed model of the Almaty power hub was developed in MATLAB/Simulink, taking into account the network structure, generating units, transformers, and aggregated loads. Three start-up scenarios were analyzed: an existing combined heat and power plant, a 504 MW combined-cycle gas turbine unit, and a 560 MW combined-cycle gas turbine unit with fuel afterburning. Voltage dynamics were evaluated using RMS-based indicators and a stabilization criterion incorporating a 5 s sliding time window and an 80% admissibility threshold. The simulation results reveal a nonlinear relationship between the start-up ramp rate and voltage quality. Increasing the ramp rate reduces the voltage stabilization time; however, beyond approximately 0.05 MW/s, further acceleration does not lead to additional improvement in power quality. The results indicate the existence of an optimal range of start-up ramp rates that provides a compromise between start-up speed and voltage quality requirements. The proposed approach can be used in the development of start-up algorithms for modern combined-cycle power plants connected to 110/220 kV transmission networks.
110/220 kV grid , combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) , power quality assessment , power system dynamics , RMS voltage , start-up ramp rate , transmission network , voltage quality
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Institute of Energy and Mechanical Engineering Named After A. Burkitbayev, Power Engineering Department, Satbayev University, Satbayev str. 22, Almaty, 050013, Kazakhstan
Institute of Energy and Mechanical Engineering Named After A. Burkitbayev
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026