Suggestion: automatic power grid balancing

[Maphy]

Currently one can automatically export any excess electricity and one can automatically import electricity that is needed... So it seems silly that you can't do both at the same time. When a power plant goes down (for example because no workers), I constantly have to switch from export mode to import mode. Why can't this be done automatically? Please add a mode that will automatically export or import depending on power needed in the domestic grid.

In reality there are institutions and mechanisms in place to balance grids. The player shouldn't have to micromanage this.

[Comrade Sky]

I would love an update that allowed one grid instead of independent grids for each power plant

[Konrad]

I think OPs suggestion is very good. Micromanaging this should not be a requirement to ensure stability in your grid. I also think that the current maximum limit on power in a building (19mw) should be increased so that buildings such as this could be used to connect powerplants together to balance grids:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2026671512&searchtext=voltage

[forzion]

Originally posted by Comrade Sky:

I would love an update that allowed one grid instead of independent grids for each power plant

You should be aware of limit of nodes which can be connected in series. Because of that you would not have a working power grid if the whole grid would be connected into one. We cannot have more than 20 nodes in row from the power source because then the connection is broken as each node updates independently.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Maphylius:

Currently one can automatically export any excess electricity and one can automatically import electricity that is needed... So it seems silly that you can't do both at the same time. When a power plant goes down (for example because no workers), I constantly have to switch from export mode to import mode. Why can't this be done automatically? Please add a mode that will automatically export or import depending on power needed in the domestic grid.

In reality there are institutions and mechanisms in place to balance grids. The player shouldn't have to micromanage this.

you think its not cool ? actually its pretty realistic. When you supply/sell electricity you cannot say : hey bro we will only sell half cuz our turbines are overloaded. if you do that (also dumping high load causes same effect ) other grid will destabilise and collapse and will lose all grid and power stations and will require re-initialisation which costs fortune.

no it does not work that way. power grid does not work at % 100 capacity or % 90 . Grid always has redundant stations . Generally called as "peak" stations. which means when you design your power grid you must have significant amount of reserve capacity . In short not making your power plant work like a horse is PRETTY REALISTIC.

[MG83]

So how to solve your problem ?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1994286074

This is how :> dont forget thumbs up and you can replicate it as you like :D

[polcorp]

As MG83 says, I find it rather realistic to watch the exports and make sure our network doesn't go down.

An example: I have 2 coal-fired power stations linked together and connected to the border.
Logically, I should be quiet. But no: because in winter for example, or depending on the teams, such and such a power station no longer produces enough electricity.
However, if I export x MwH of electricity, I must insure them, otherwise I jeopardize the supply of the country to which I export.

I therefore find it normal to always make sure to export what I can, depending on the contingencies, so to have to constantly monitor my electricity exports at customs.

[polcorp]

Originally posted by forzion:

Originally posted by Comrade Sky:

I would love an update that allowed one grid instead of independent grids for each power plant

You should be aware of limit of nodes which can be connected in series. Because of that you would not have a working power grid if the whole grid would be connected into one. We cannot have more than 20 nodes in row from the power source because then the connection is broken as each node updates independently.

Glad to see you back, Forzion :)
(this is a parenthesis)

[Maphy]

Originally posted by MG83:

actually its pretty realistic. When you supply/sell electricity you cannot say : hey bro we will only sell half cuz our turbines are overloaded.

What else are you going to say when your turbines are overloaded?

And you can already do what I am suggesting in the game, it just takes more micromanagement. So what I am suggesting is clearly not more unrealistic than the current game. It would just automate something which you currently have to do manually.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Maphylius:

Originally posted by MG83:

actually its pretty realistic. When you supply/sell electricity you cannot say : hey bro we will only sell half cuz our turbines are overloaded.

What else are you going to say when your turbines are overloaded?

you sumbit your resignation and try to find different job.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Maphylius:

And you can already do what I am suggesting in the game, it just takes more micromanagement. So what I am suggesting is clearly not more unrealistic than the current game. It would just automate something which you currently have to do manually.

actually no. by doing it manually you are changing the terms of agreement and then otherside regulates it self . Happens in life too a phone call occur information exchanged time and load set then operation is done.

if you want to get in power business you need to construct lots of power plants :P or set the sell amount lower grades to have some reserve . You cant make power plants work "knife to bone" limits .

[Comrade Sky]

Originally posted by forzion:

Originally posted by Comrade Sky:

I would love an update that allowed one grid instead of independent grids for each power plant

You should be aware of limit of nodes which can be connected in series. Because of that you would not have a working power grid if the whole grid would be connected into one. We cannot have more than 20 nodes in row from the power source because then the connection is broken as each node updates independently.

That isn't the problem. The problem is that if two power sources meet, the one with the least nodes is the one that connects to that particular switch/transformer.

[Comrade Sky]

Originally posted by MG83:

Originally posted by Maphylius:

Currently one can automatically export any excess electricity and one can automatically import electricity that is needed... So it seems silly that you can't do both at the same time. When a power plant goes down (for example because no workers), I constantly have to switch from export mode to import mode. Why can't this be done automatically? Please add a mode that will automatically export or import depending on power needed in the domestic grid.

In reality there are institutions and mechanisms in place to balance grids. The player shouldn't have to micromanage this.

you think its not cool ? actually its pretty realistic. When you supply/sell electricity you cannot say : hey bro we will only sell half cuz our turbines are overloaded. if you do that (also dumping high load causes same effect ) other grid will destabilise and collapse and will lose all grid and power stations and will require re-initialisation which costs fortune.

no it does not work that way. power grid does not work at % 100 capacity or % 90 . Grid always has redundant stations . Generally called as "peak" stations. which means when you design your power grid you must have significant amount of reserve capacity . In short not making your power plant work like a horse is PRETTY REALISTIC.

Please look at the EU electrical grid interconnections project. Grids have been interconnected and constantly switch from important and exporting to make renewable energy more efficient, and how balance demand throughout the day. Plants are taken offline regularly for maintenance, and at that point, the area typically imports power.

It also takes over a day for a traditional thermal plant to completely shut down or completely return to full power production. In the game, it is instantaneous. The closest we have to that in real life is a peaker gas plant, hydro power, or some sort of storage facility. Reserve capacity is very low, and that is why a harsh winter or hot day is significant enough to cause brown or blackouts pretty much everywhere in the world.

None of these issues are things that would be implemented in the game regardless.

[MG83]

Originally posted by Comrade Sky:

Please look at the EU electrical grid interconnections project. .

You are using presets . in the statement you have European Union. There is a reason why its called "union" . one of many reason its called union that there is trade agreements other is power agreements etc. first in Soviet union things are different. Second there were not the technology EU currently has. there were no EU in soviet times. Germans was using marks not euro.

one of the inter connected cause of melt down in Pripyat reactor was also ,they had a phone call to dump load aprox 6 hour before the incident. And it was not automated system it was a "phone call" . at date of 1986 :> Still many power plants and railways system in world is governed by "phone call" .... not everyone living in EU and soviet territory is not EU :>

so there is a simple switch at the border and it is wanted to be automated . Its like wanting lights automatically open when person arrives home while there is a simple on/off switch on the wall of house .

[[HOLY]Hidefrag]

Originally posted by Comrade Sky:

Originally posted by forzion:

You should be aware of limit of nodes which can be connected in series. Because of that you would not have a working power grid if the whole grid would be connected into one. We cannot have more than 20 nodes in row from the power source because then the connection is broken as each node updates independently.

That isn't the problem. The problem is that if two power sources meet, the one with the least nodes is the one that connects to that particular switch/transformer.

I have ended up just using the quad nuclear powerplant. so i dont have to deal with more than one power source. auto balance is a thing that is more rooted in the world we live in. Im in on auto balance.

[MG83]

Originally posted by HOLYHidefrag:

I have ended up just using the quad nuclear powerplant. so i dont have to deal with more than one power source. auto balance is a thing that is more rooted in the world we live in. Im in on auto balance.

you can use coal power plants if you construct the substation i have shown as screen shot. it distributes loads to power plants makes them redundant to eachother.