With the increased penetration of variable renewable energy sources (wind and solar) in 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 its synchronous and inverter-base generation sources in a relative basis when providing the flexibility needed by the electric grid. Unfortunately, this flexibility comes with a potential decrease in fatigue life caused by the increased cycle activity, which was not accounted for when the assets were originally designed. With the use of electrical calculations, finite element analysis, and fatigue analysis, the study that is the subject of this report calculated the amplification damage factor caused by the flexible operation. The report focuses on two key generator components that have seen accelerated degradation caused by the change of operation patterns, from a baseload to a more flexible strategy.
