Modeling Infrastructure Delays and Congestion for Large-Scale Power Systems

This paper analyzes the electricity dispatch process and the importance of predicting infrastructure construction delays and network congestion using a system dynamics methodology. Two scenarios of renewable energy integration within Colombia are examined, together with their impact on electrical generation, pricing, and the growth of transmission networks. The results indicate that delays significantly influence the system’s long-term development. Incorporating network congestion into energy dispatch significantly alters investment requirements for generation and transmission, emphasizing network constraints that an idealized dispatch would neglect. Considering congestion highlights the necessity of incorporating delays into energy planning, as these impacts are overlooked in models that fail to account for actual network limitations. This paper emphasizes the strategic significance of considering delays and congestion to attain more realistic and successful planning in extensive power networks.