0 Overview With the deepening of China's power system reform, the development of the power market will be continuously improved. Due to the introduction of competition mechanisms, the structure of the power industry is gradually evolving from a top-down "father-son" management model to an equal "brother" management model centered on electricity prices. The dispatching and operation department occupies a core position in the power market, serving as the hub for the four links of power generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption, as well as for grid operation command, power market transactions, and electricity energy settlement. The introduction of market operation mechanisms has had a significant impact on grid dispatching and operation, raising many new challenges. Among these, the formulation of power generation dispatching plans is one of the issues directly related to the "credibility" of the power market, the safe and economical operation of the grid, and the interests of power market participants. [b]1 Generation Dispatch Plan in the Power Generation Market[/b] 1.1 Generation Dispatch Plan and Its Purpose The generation dispatch plan is a power generation operation plan made by the power market operation and management department based on the short-term load forecast of the power grid, the power supply capacity of the power grid, the safety operation constraints of the power grid, and the water inflow forecast of the reservoir. It should meet the power demand of social users as much as possible, optimize resource allocation, and make rational use of energy. It is an important part of the power grid operation plan. Its starting point and goal is to reduce the power grid's power purchase cost and control electricity prices, thereby benefiting social users. 1.2 Principles for Formulating the Generation Dispatch Plan The power market is the place for power trading. Formulating the power grid generation dispatch plan is one of the important functions of the market operation and management department. In order to ensure the safe, high-quality, and economical operation of the power grid, the following basic principles should be taken into account when formulating the generation dispatch plan. a. The principle of safe operation of the power grid. When formulating the generation dispatch plan, in terms of power grid safety, it should be ensured that the spinning reserve is 2% to 5%; the main equipment of the power grid (main transformers and lines, etc.) is not overloaded; and the power grid meets the (N-1) requirement. b. The principles of high-quality and reliable power supply are: c. The principle of balancing interests. Under a planned economy, the power generation plans or power purchase contracts formulated by the power grid were not strictly enforced in practice, and over-planning of power generation and consumption was common. Under a power market, the formulation and execution of transaction plans, contracts, and electricity prices are very strict because they directly affect the interests of each participant. Therefore, market operation and management departments should take into account the interests of different stakeholders when formulating power generation dispatch plans. d. Compliance with national industrial policies, reflecting market principles, prioritizing efficiency, and optimizing the allocation of power grid resources. e. The principle of "fairness, impartiality, and openness" in formulating power generation dispatch plans. Power market operation and management departments must ensure that all participants understand the management and operation of the power market, thereby ensuring the "fairness, impartiality, and openness" principles of the power market while making reasonable choices. f. The principle of hierarchical management. That is, each participant formulates its own power generation dispatch plan according to its respective dispatch management authority. g. The principle of minimizing power purchase costs. That is, the market operation and management department purchases electricity and power according to the quotations of power generation companies, in order of electricity price from low to high, so that the principle of fair competition is truly reflected. 1.3 Basis for formulating power generation dispatch plan a. Demand of electricity users. When the power grid formulates a power generation dispatch plan that balances supply and demand, its basic basis is to make a relatively accurate prediction of the future trend and characteristics of power load changes, so as to meet the electricity and power demand of social users to the greatest extent. b. Current status of power grid resource allocation and power supply capacity. c. Power purchase and sale contracts signed by the power purchase (sale) companies. d. Quotations from power generation companies. e. Relevant national policies on the power industry. 1.4 Tasks of formulating power generation dispatch plan a. Forecasting the short-term load of the power grid. b. Conducting a balance analysis of the power and power of the power grid in the short term. c. Providing suggestions on inter-grid transaction plans. d. Rationally arranging the start-up mode according to the safety operation constraints of the power grid. e. Economic operation plan and suggestions for the power grid. f. Formulating the reservoir operation plan of this power grid. g. Formulating countermeasures and suggestions for overlapping faults of major generating units. h. From the perspective of ensuring the effective operation of the system, suggestions are made for the planning and construction of power sources in this power grid. 2. Types and Contents of Power Generation Dispatch Plans To ensure the safe, high-quality, and economical operation of the power grid, market operation management departments must adhere to the principles of power generation dispatch plan formulation. Based on the short-term load forecast of this power grid, the status of power grid resources and power supply capacity, the power purchase agreements signed between the power grid enterprise and the power generation company, the power generation company's quotations, and relevant national policies on the power industry, annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly (ten-day) and daily power generation dispatch plans should be formulated. Maintenance plans for generating units within this power grid should be rationally arranged, and the power generation operation mode of the power grid should be rationally arranged. The operational efficiency of the power grid should be predicted and analyzed, and suggestions for improving the economic operation of the power grid should be proposed. The quarterly power generation dispatch plan is based on quarterly load forecasts, grid resource conditions, and power supply capacity, using analysis and calculation to revise and implement the annual power generation dispatch plan. The monthly power generation dispatch plan is based on monthly load forecasts, grid resource conditions, and power supply capacity, using analysis and calculation to revise and implement the quarterly power generation dispatch plan. The weekly (ten-day) power generation dispatch plan is based on weekly (ten-day) load forecasts, grid resource conditions, and power supply capacity, using analysis and calculation to revise and implement the monthly power generation dispatch plan, and includes holiday operation modes. The daily power generation dispatch plan is based on daily load forecasts, grid resource conditions, and power supply capacity, using analysis and calculation to revise and implement the weekly (ten-day) power generation dispatch plan. The main contents of the power generation dispatch plan include: a. Electricity consumption, power supply, economic operation, power generation equipment maintenance status, and operation mode at the end of the previous planned period. b. The next planned period includes the installed capacity and new power generation capacity of the power grid, weather forecast, load forecast, reservoir inflow forecast and utilization mode, maintenance plan and construction, power balance and analysis, maximum and minimum mode construction, peak shaving mode arrangement, economic operation plan and problems in construction and operation. [b]3. Planning method and flowchart (see Figure 1)[/b] When formulating the power generation dispatch plan for the next planned period, a comprehensive and in-depth analysis and evaluation of the power grid operation in the previous planned period should be conducted. A relatively accurate prediction of the power grid operation prospects in the next planned period should be made. On this basis, scientific methods should be used to conduct an in-depth and detailed analysis of the power grid operation mode in the next planned period, point out the existing problems, and propose plans and suggestions to ensure the safe, high-quality and economical operation of the power grid. [img=350,601]http://zszl.cepee.com/cepee_kjlw_pic/files/wx/hndl-2/18-1.jpg[/img] [b]4. Key Technological Advancement Issues[/b] a. Basic data and testing for the economic operation of the power grid. b. Automatic sorting curves based on electricity prices. c. Optimal strategies and methods for power grid procurement. d. Automatic verification of security constraints. e. Optimal reservoir scheduling methods. f. Combined hydropower and thermal power scheduling methods. g. Optimization methods for network losses. h. Power generation scheduling plan management software package in the technical support system. [b]5. Functions and Requirements of the Power Generation Scheduling Plan System in the Technical Support System[/b] The power generation scheduling plan is an important component of the power market technical support system on the generation side. Its formulation is closely related to the economic interests of each power plant and is a focal point of conflict. The power generation scheduling plan is closely related to the safe operation of the power grid and the management system of the power industry, and is also increasingly linked to the financial goals of power grid companies. To achieve the goals of "fairness, impartiality, and openness" in power grid dispatching and "safety, economy, and high quality" operation of the power grid, the power generation dispatching planning system must meet the following technical requirements: a. Reliability: Ensuring reliable system operation. b. Security: Ensuring data and system security, and employing encryption protection measures. c. Integrity: Ensuring the integrity of data and transaction plans. d. Consistency: Ensuring data consistency. e. Continuity: Providing continuous service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. f. Timeliness: Ensuring timely data processing and transmission. g. Openness: Adopting an open architecture and functional distributed system design. h. Scalability: Adapting to the development of the electricity market, changes in rules, and technological advancements, enabling it to receive and query historical and real-time power grid data in a timely and accurate manner, receive short-term load forecast results accurately and promptly, receive technical and economic data submitted by power generation companies accurately and promptly, compile power generation plans according to economic dispatching principles and conduct safety verification, and promptly and completely send power generation plans to the Power Management System (PMS), Real-Time Information System (SIS), and Energy Management System (EMS). 6. Conclusion During the planned economy era, generation dispatching played a crucial role in maximizing power supply from the grid. In the future power market on the generation side, generation dispatching will continue to play a vital role in ensuring the safe, high-quality, and economical operation of the grid and guaranteeing the fairness, impartiality, and transparency of grid dispatching. To realize the advisory, guiding, and service functions of generation dispatching for grid operation, it must be based on accurate load forecasting, rely on technical support systems, utilize advanced technologies, and focus on forecasting and analysis to optimize the allocation of grid resources and achieve the goal of safe, high-quality, and economical grid operation.