A Comprehensive Review of Load Frequency Control Technologies

Load frequency control (LFC) is one of the most important tools in power system control. LFC is an auxiliary service related to the short-term balance of energy and frequency of power systems. As such, it allows the acquisition of a central role in enabling electricity exchanges and providing better conditions. The classification of LFC can be carried out from different angles: we can enumerate, among others, the type of control used. The following types of control are presented in this review: classical, optimal, and robust control. More advanced controls can also be used for classification: fuzzy logic control, ANN control, genetic algorithms, PSO control, etc. The influence of renewables and power control tools like FACTS is also considered as a category to be analyzed. The last classifications are related to two important subjects—the influence of DC links on LFC efficiency and the dangers of cyberattacks on the LFC.