Computational intelligence techniques for short-term electric load forecasting

Electric load forecasting has received an increasing attention over the years by academic and industrial researchers and practitioners due to its major role for the effective and economic operation of power utilities. The aim of this paper is to provide a collective unified survey study on the application of computational intelligence (CI) model-free techniques to the short-term load forecasting of electric power plants. All four classes of CI methodologies, namely neural networks (NNs), fuzzy logic (FL), genetic algorithms (GAs) and chaos are addressed. The paper starts with some background material on model-based and knowledge-based forecasting methodologies revealing a number of key issues. Then, the pure NN-based and FL-based forecasting methodologies are presented in some detail. Next, the hybrid neurofuzzy forecasting methodology (ANFIS, GARIC and Fuzzy ART variations), and three other hybrid CI methodologies (KB-NN, Chaos-FL, Neurofuzzy-GA) are reviewed. The paper ends with eight representative case studies, which show the relative merits and performance that can be achieved by the various forecasting methodologies under a large repertory of geographic, weather and other peculiar conditions. An overall evaluation of the state-of-art of the field is provided in the conclusions.