Optimization of CCGT Start-Up Ramp Rate to Improve Voltage Quality in a 110/220 kV Power System Node

Madina Maratovna Umysheva, Yerlan Sarsenbayev, Dias Raybekovich Umyshev

2026

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DOI 10.3390/en19041028
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

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.