Resumen
This study introduces a novel approach for optimizing the monthly hydropower scheduling of cascaded reservoirs by employing a special ordered set of type 2 (SOS2) formulation within a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. The proposed method linearizes the relationships between hydropower output, spillage, storage, and outflow, enabling controllable spillage. The objective is to minimize spillage, maximize firm hydropower output, and maximize energy production, all in priority while considering complex constraints such as reservoir storage and discharge bounds, upstream?downstream relationship, and water balance. The approach is applied to four cascaded reservoirs on the Lancang River. Results indicate that the SOS2 formulation effectively minimizes spillage, maximizes hydropower generation, and ensures maximum firm power output. Comparisons across different gridding resolutions reveal that more grid points yield greater benefits but with a longer solution time. Furthermore, a comparison with the Successive Quadratic Programming (SQP) method highlights the superior performance of the SOS2 model in terms of objective improvement and solution efficiency. This research offers valuable insights into optimizing monthly hydropower scheduling for cascaded reservoir systems, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making in water resources management.