With the increased penetration of variable renewable energy sources (wind and solar) into the electric grid’s energy mix, a greater need for a more flexible power system is required to maintain grid reliability. Hydropower has been shown to outpace variable generation energy sources on a relative basis when providing the flexibility that is needed by the electric grid. Unfortunately, this flexibility comes with a potential decrease in fatigue life that is caused by the increased cycle activity, which was not envisioned when the assets were originally designed. The analytical study aimed to continue expanding the knowledge of the implications that a flexible operation schedule could have in hydropower assets. The project that is the subject of this report focused on investigating—using state-of-the art numerical simulations—the aging acceleration that a representative Francis runner can undergo when its operation changes from a baseload to a more flexible strategy.
