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Presents a study which dealt with the load behavior of pulp and paper industries after planned or forced outages. Description of a pulp and paper industry; Discussion on outages; Economical consequences.

Presents the best paper awards for 2019-2021 and includes the list of reviewers who contributed to this publication in 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work reported in this paper aims at developing an algorithm for system operators to solve a robust security-constrained AC optimal power flow (R-SC-ACOPF) problem, which also optimizes the settings of discrete controllers including load tap changers (LTCs) and shunt capacitor banks (SCBs). An iterative algorithm involving a master problem and a number of sub-problems is proposed. The master problem selects the optimal discrete controllers’ settings by taking into account primal SC-ACOPF constraints based on the single-component worst contingencies identified by the sub-problems. Each sub-problem is a bi-level max-min problem used to find the current worst contingency. The overall objective is to minimize the total cost, including generation and load shedding cost, while satisfying all relevant constraints. The master problem and sub-problems allow representing LTC tap positions, SCB status, and contingencies using binary variables. Two case studies are presented as applications of this novel technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Editorial Board of the IEEE Transactions on Power Systems would like to recognize the following high quality papers published from 2018 through 2020: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After any major blackout, recreating the exact scene is one of the crucial but foundation steps in postmortem analysis. This helps in identifying and understanding the exact causes and sequence of events to avoid such failures in the future. Rather, power system restoration demands critical skills which involves deployment of appropriate strategies based on information about various factors, notably the extent and duration of the blackout, location of black-started units, interconnections with neighbouring systems, generator capabilities, and selecting appropriate restoration paths. The actual execution of the restoration plan consists of many surprises of unique nature and a lot of learning’s to avoid future occurrences of such incidents. The restoration efforts and failure of Mumbai grid failure on October 12, 2020, are highlighted in this paper. The paper first proposes formulating the dynamic models to get a better insight of the restoration process in the event of critical issues during this incident. The various challenges faced in systematic recovery of such a large system and lessons learnt from it forms focus of the paper. The paper also discusses factors not covered in existing literature, such as weather, fuel availability, and water mass oscillations which plays an important role in the restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dynamic event data-based stability risk assessment method for power grids with high penetrations of inverter-based resources (IBRs). This method relies on obtaining the IBRs’ DQ admittance through dynamic event data and computing the system’s eigenvalues based on the admittance models. Two critical technologies are employed in this research, including time-domain and frequency-domain data fitting and $dq$ -frame voltage and current signal derivation. The first technology is key to obtaining the $s$ -domain expressions from the transient response data, and the $s$ -domain DQ admittance model from the frequency-domain measurements. The second technology is key to obtaining the $dq$ -frame voltage and current signals from either the three-phase instantaneous measurements or the phasor measurement unit (PMU) data. The method is illustrated using data generated from a Type-4 wind power plant modeled in PSCAD. This paper demonstrates the technical feasibility of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many power systems, the increased penetration of inverter-based renewable generation will cause a decrease in kinetic energy storage, leading to higher frequency excursions after a power disturbance. This is the case of the future Nordic Power System (NPS). The look-ahead study reported in this paper shows that the chosen units participating in Frequency Containment Reserves (FCR) cannot keep the frequency above the prescribed threshold following the outage of the largest plant. This analysis relies on a detailed model of the Northern European grid. The latter is compared to the classical single-mass equivalent, and the impact of voltage-dependent loads is assessed in some detail. Next, the paper focuses on emergency power control of the HVDC links that connect the NPS to the rest of the European grid, which can supplement or even replace part of the FCR. The proper tuning of that control is discussed. Finally, the analysis is extended to the HVDC links connecting the future North Sea Wind Power Hub under two configurations, namely low and zero inertia. The impact of outages in the latter sub-system is also assessed. The material to simulate the system with industrial software is made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high penetration of renewables has sparked new oscillatory concerns in hybrid AC/DC grids. Knowledge of the oscillation regarding its source and propagation mechanism, is crucial to system operation. In this respect, the frequency-domain modal analysis (FMA) provides a way (e.g., participation factor) to extract these oscillation properties, and has been widely applied in converter-based AC grids. Compared to AC grids, oscillation properties of hybrid AC/DC grids are much more complex. Such complexity mainly originates from the diversity of oscillation propagation behaviors in hybrid AC/DC grids, where a distinctive local-area oscillation will emerge. Therefore, a dedicated oscillation propagation analysis for hybrid AC/DC grids is desired, which is the main focus of this paper. First, the mechanism of the distinctive local-area oscillation is analyzed considering AC/DC coupled dynamics of converters. Then, a systematic method for the oscillation propagation analysis is presented, where indices for characterizing the local-area oscillation and its impact area are established. Finally, some propagation properties are discussed, by which a strategy for the online oscillation source locating is designed. Case studies are carried out in a typical hybrid AC/DC grid to validate the propagation analysis in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a control scheme to improve the dynamic response of power systems through the automatic regulators of converter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). In this scheme, both active and reactive power control of DERs are varied to regulate both frequency and voltage, as opposed to current practice where frequency and voltage controllers are decoupled. To assess the proposed control against the current state-of-art, the paper also defines a metric that captures the combined effect of frequency/voltage response at any given bus of the network. Results indicate that the proposed control strategy leads to a significant improvement in the stability and performance of the overall power system. These results are based on a comprehensive case study carried out by employing a modified version of the IEEE 39-bus benchmark system, where a portion of the synchronous machines is substituted by converter-interfaced DERs. The impact on the proposed control of load models, the $R/X$ ratio of network lines, as well as the level of DER penetration to the grid, are properly evaluated and conclusions are duly drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the deadliest wildfires in the U.S., such as California’s 2018 wildfires, have been ignited by power systems. In an effort to prevent and minimize the ignition of wildfires, or control them if ignited, energy companies have developed wildfire mitigation plans. This paper provides energy companies and power system operators, engineers, researchers, and suppliers an overview of the state-of-the-art studies that address key topics in these wildfire mitigation plans and compares the wildfire mitigation plans of several energy companies. The key topics include grid design and system hardening, asset management and inspection, situational awareness and forecasting, operational response, vegetation management, public safety power shutoff, and risk-spend efficiency. This paper also presents a comparison of several energy companies’ decision-making criteria for initiating a public safety power shutoff. Finally, we discuss opportunities for future research studies that could help energy companies prevent wildfire ignitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dawn of quantum computing brings on a revolution in the way combinatorially complex power system problems such as Unit Commitment are solved. The Unit Commitment problem complexity is expected to increase in the future because of the trend toward the increase of penetration of intermittent renewables. Even though quantum computing has proven effective for solving a host of problems, its applications for power systems’ problems have been rather limited. In this paper, a quantum unit commitment is innovatively formulated and the quantum version of the decomposition and coordination alternate direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is established. The above is achieved by devising quantum algorithms and by exploiting the superposition and entanglement of quantum bits (qubits) for solving subproblems, which are then coordinated through ADMM to obtain feasible solutions. The main contributions of this paper include: 1) the innovative development of a quantum model for Unit Commitment; 2) development of decomposition and coordination-supported framework which paves the way for the utilization of limited quantum resources to potentially solve the large-scale discrete optimization problems; 3) devising the novel quantum distributed unit commitment (QDUC) to solve the problem in a larger scale than currently available quantum computers are capable of solving. The QDUC results are compared with those from its classical counterpart, which validate the efficacy of quantum computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential contribution that interconnectors can provide to efficiently support the security of interconnected power systems. The proposed modelling setup introduces a radical paradigm shift in the operation of the interconnectors and in their interactions with multiple markets. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that models a simultaneous allocation of the interconnector capacity for the exchange of energy and of inertia-dependent primary frequency response. The benefits and impact of this new methodology are evaluated with typical market indicators (e.g., social welfare and interconnector revenues) under two different paradigms: a centralized approach where the interconnectors are operated to minimize the system operational cost and a market-based framework where the interconnectors are privately-owned assets with self-interested objectives. By modelling the interconnectors as “price-maker”, the proposed work quantifies the potential inefficiencies of market solutions while considering key elements such as capacity withdrawing. A case study of the GB-France systems assesses the value of interconnectors on system efficiency and security under the considered paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power system inertia is declining and is increasingly variable and uncertain in regions where the penetration of non-synchronous generation and interconnectors is growing. This presents a challenge to power system operators who must take appropriate actions to ensure the stability and security of power systems relying on short-term forecasts of the system’s inertial response. Existing models to forecast inertia fail to quantify uncertainty, which may prevent their utilization given the risk aversion of the system operators when handling stability issues. This paper is the first to develop a model to produce calibrated, data-driven probabilistic forecasts of the inertia contribution of transmission-connected synchronous generators. The model provides a necessary tool for system operators to quantify forecast uncertainty, allowing them to manage the risk of frequency instability cost-effectively. The paper demonstrates that the assumption of a Gaussian distribution of uncertainty applied in existing models is not acceptable to accurately forecast the inertial response and provides a satisfactory forecast model by combining non-parametric density forecasting with parametric tail distributions. Moreover, the paper shows that satisfactory predictive performance can only be achieved by adopting a rolling horizon forecast approach to deal with the rapidly changing characteristics of the inertial response in power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an optimization approach for day-ahead reactive power planning to improve voltage security in transmission networks. The problem is formulated as a voltage-secure multi-period optimal reactive power dispatch (MP-ORPD) problem. The optimization approach searches for optimal set-points of dynamic and static reactive power (var) resources. Specifically, the output includes set-points for switching shunts, transformer taps, and voltage magnitudes at the regulated buses. The primary goal is to maximize the dynamic reactive power reserve of the system, by minimizing the reactive power supplied by synchronous generators. As the size of the MP-ORPD problem increases significantly with increasing number of contingencies and time periods, efficiency is crucial for practical applications. In this paper, a decomposition technique based on consensus and alternating optimization, where integer variable targets are obtained via MILP, is used to partition the MP-ORPD problem into a set of subproblems, which can be solved in parallel to reduce the computation time. The proposed MP-ORPD problem and its solution algorithm are integrated into the EPRI-VCA software. The results of various power networks of large electric utilities in the Eastern interconnection demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in providing preventive control schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Hybrid AC/DC microgrid (MG) can integrate distributed generation sources and distributed loads on the AC and DC side of the MG by eliminating many unnecessary power conversion devices, which is more flexible and efficient. However, to achieve reliable and economic operation of a hybrid AC/DC MG is challenging due to its complex structure. In this paper, a novel distributed event-triggered hierarchical control strategy is proposed to improve the economic operation of a hybrid AC/DC MG. For the primary control, distributed local controls of AC DGs, DC DGs, and interlinking converters (ICs) are realized by adopting the droop control method. For the secondary control, the distributed economic dispatch, distributed average bus voltage discovery, and distributed proportional power-sharing algorithms are first proposed; then, control objectives of voltage and frequency restoration and economic operation of the hybrid AC/DC MG are realized based upon the developed algorithms. Furthermore, the distributed secondary control is built upon an event-triggered mechanism developed in this paper, which can reduce the communication burden. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric distribution grid operations typically rely on both centralized optimization and local non-optimal control techniques. As an alternative, distribution system operational practices can consider distributed optimization techniques that leverage communications among various neighboring agents to achieve optimal operation. With the rapidly increasing integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), distributed optimization algorithms are growing in importance due to their potential advantages in scalability, flexibility, privacy, and robustness relative to centralized optimization. Implementation of distributed optimization offers multiple challenges and also opportunities. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent advancements in distributed optimization for electric distribution systems and classifications using key attributes. Problem formulations and distributed optimization algorithms are provided for example use cases, including volt/var control, market clearing process, loss minimization, and conservation voltage reduction. Finally, this paper also presents future research needs for the applicability of distributed optimization algorithms in the distribution system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time-of-use (TOU) is an effective price-based demand response strategy. A reasonable design of TOU strategy can effectively reduce the peak-valley difference, and then produce a lot of benefits (such as delaying power grid investment, reducing interruption cost, and improving reliability). However, changing peak-valley period has a great influence on the peak-valley difference and power supply reliability of power system. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the optimal modification of peak-valley period considering reliability loss under multiple TOU schemes. Firstly, this paper presents a clustering model and algorithm of optimal load curve based on a minimum error iteration method. Secondly, an optimal modification of peak-valley period based on a dynamic load point method is proposed, and the traditional peak-valley difference is replaced by the global peak-valley difference to calculate the objective function. Thirdly, this paper establishes a load–reliability relation fitting model based on the back propagation neural network. Finally, the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed method are investigated by the Roy Billinton test system and reliability test system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A good quality stability model is a key factor for accurate power system operations.Inaccurate parameters of the stability models affect the decision making which paves the way for serious consequences. Thus, it is necessary to calibrate the stability model parameters in a regular manner. There are several calibration methods in the literature which are based on simultaneous estimation of the parameters and states. However, not all of the model parameters are well estimable simultaneously. Simultaneous estimation of parameters with high collinearity may result in biased calibration results. In this paper, the trajectory sensitivity method is used to detect the sensitive parameters and construct the sensitivity matrix. Then, parameters with high linear dependency are identified using the sensitivity matrix. It is shown that, despite the high sensitivity of a parameter, its estimability degrades as the collinearity with other parameters increase. In this paper an identifiability analysis that detects the collinearity among the sensitive parameters is proposed. The proposed method is validated using WSCC 9-Bus System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution power systems (DPSs) are generally unbalanced, and their loads may have notable static voltage characteristics (ZIP loads). Hence, although many papers have focused on linear single-phase power flow models, it is still necessary to study linear three-phase distribution power flow models. This paper proposes a data-driven-aided linear three-phase power flow model for DPSs. We first formulate how to amalgamate data-driven techniques into a linear power flow equation to establish our linear model. This amalgamation makes our linear model independent of the assumptions commonly used in the literature (e.g., nodal voltages are nearly 1.0 p.u.); therefore, our model is characterized by relatively high accuracy, even when the assumptions become invalid. We then demonstrate how to apply our model to DPSs with ZIP loads. We also show that with the Huber penalty function employed, the adverse impact of bad data on our model's accuracy is significantly reduced, rendering our model robust to poor data quality. Case studies demonstrate that our model is generally more accurate, with 2- to 100-fold smaller errors, than most existing linear models, and remains fairly accurate even under poor data conditions. Our model also contributes to a rapid solution to DPS analyses and optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a Principal Component Analysis (PCA)-based method to construct composite indices to rapidly assess power system transient stability. By assigning appropriate weights to a few selected sub-indicators, a composite index can be constructed to guarantee a better coverage of worst-case stability scenarios of the power system. This paper provides an automatic method to construct a composite index with four sub-indicators calculated by the integral of acceleration, speed deviation and rotor angle of generators over a certain integration period using PCA. The effectiveness of the sub-indicators is validated first, followed by a comprehensive example of process of composite index construction, and the assessment of the influence of the effect of integration period on the performance of the composite index. High accuracy of classification has been demonstrated using composite index with appropriate settings of the integration periods of the sub-indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the detection and identification of errors in the parameters of three-phase transposed as well as untransposed transmission line (TL) models used by various network applications. Such detailed models are increasingly needed in particular by power system applications where loads may not be balanced and/or TLs may not be symmetrical, and a full detailed three-phase solution may have to be obtained. To address this problem, the paper proposes an efficient algorithm for detection, identification, and estimation of parameter errors using synchronized phasor measurements. The suspect TL is detected using the modal domain networks in the first stage. The developed algorithm extends the previously developed largest normalized Lagrange multiplier (NLM) test for positive sequence parameters to the full coupled three-phase lines. An estimation method is also proposed for estimating the erroneous parameters, which takes into account the correlation of the parameters. To illustrate the effectiveness of the method, several tests are performed on the IEEE 118-bus system and a large 3474-bus utility system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for controlling the voltage of inverter-based Microgrids by proposing a new scale-free distributed cooperative controller. The main contribution of this paper is that the proposed distributed cooperative controller is scale-free where is independent of any information about the communication system and the number of distributed generators, as such it works for any Microgrids with any size. Moreover, the communication network is modeled by a general time-varying graph which enhances the resilience of the proposed protocol against communication link failure, data packet loss, and arbitrarily fast plug and play operation in the presence of arbitrarily finite communication delays as the protocol does not require the knowledge of the upper bound on the delay. The stability analysis of the proposed protocol is provided. The proposed method is simulated on the CIGRE medium voltage Microgrid test system. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scale-free distributed nonlinear protocol for regulating voltage of Microgrids in the presence of communication failures, data packet loss, noise, and degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a dynamic valuation framework to determine the opportunity value of battery capacity degradation in grid applications based on the internal degradation mechanism and utilization scenarios. The proposed framework follows a dynamic programming approach and includes a piecewise linear value function approximation solution that solves the optimization problem over a long planning horizon. The paper provides two case studies on price arbitrage and frequency regulation using real market and system data to demonstrate the broad applicability of the proposed framework. Results show that the battery lifetime value is critically dependent on both the external market environment and its internal state of health. On the grid service side, results show that second-life batteries can provide more than 50% of the value compared to new batteries, and frequency regulation provides two times more revenue than price arbitrage throughout the battery lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of power systems can largely limit the power transfer capability limit of transmission lines. The PV generator control is different from synchronous generator control. The impact of PV generator dynamics on the power transfer limit constrained by stability is not well explored in the literature. This paper focuses on improving the stability constrained power transfer capability limit of transmission lines emanating from PV generators. The PV generator is provided with dc link voltage and reactive power control and is equipped with low voltage ride through capability, voltage and frequency support functionalities. In this paper, Lyapunov function analysis based adaptive tuning laws are proposed for PV control parameters to improve the power transfer capability limit (constrained by stability) of transmission lines connecting PV generators to grid. The tuning laws are proposed for Phase Locked Loop (PLL), outer and inner control loop parameters. The proposed tuning laws have inherent robustness towards faults, changes in solar irradiation, changes in grid topology, network impedances, generation and loads in the system. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated on a Single PV-Synchronous Machine system, modified IEEE-39 and IEEE-118 bus system. The performance of the proposed method is investigated considering various disturbances such as symmetrical and asymmetrical faults on transmission line, switching of a transmission line and change in solar irradiation of PV. Comparison with existing method shows that the proposed tuning method can achieve higher power transfer capability limit considering stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an opportunity in modern power systems to explore the demand flexibility by incentivizing consumers with dynamic prices. In this paper, we quantify demand flexibility using an efficient tool called time-varying elasticity, whose value may change depending on the prices and decision dynamics. This tool is particularly useful for evaluating the demand response potential and system reliability. Recent empirical evidences have highlighted some abnormal features when studying demand flexibility, such as delayed responses and vanishing elasticities after price spikes. Existing methods fail to capture these complicated features because they heavily rely on some predefined (often over-simplified) regression expressions. Instead, this paper proposes a model-free methodology to automatically and accurately derive the optimal estimation pattern. We further develop a two-stage estimation process with Siamese long short-term memory (LSTM) networks. Here, a LSTM network encodes the price response, while the other network estimates the time-varying elasticities. In the case study, the proposed framework and models are validated to achieve higher overall estimation accuracy and better description for various abnormal features when compared with the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces the concept of complex frequency. The imaginary part of the complex frequency is the variation with respect of a synchronous reference of the local bus frequency as commonly defined in power system studies. The real part is defined based on the variation of the voltage magnitude. The latter term is crucial for the correct interpretation and analysis of the variation of the frequency at each bus of the network. The paper also develops a set of differential equations that describe the link between complex powers and complex frequencies at network buses in transient conditions. No simplifications are assumed except for the usual approximations of the models utilized for the transient stability analysis of power systems. A variety of analytical and numerical examples show the applications and potentials of the proposed concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of operating selected transmission lines at frequencies other than the standard 50 or 60 Hz are numerous, encompassing increased power transfer capacity and better utilization of existing infrastructure. While high voltage DC (HVDC) is by far the most well-established example, there has been an emerging interest low frequency AC (LFAC) transmission in applications ranging from offshore wind to railway systems and mining. In this paper, we investigate the use of LFAC as a transmission upgrade and propose models and analysis methods to determine the optimal choice of frequency. The paper first presents an optimal power flow model with frequency as a variable, assuming modular multilevel converters for frequency conversion. Using this model, we analyze LFAC as an embedded upgrade in a transmission system using existing lines. We quantify the system-wide advantages from improved power flow control and frequency reduction and find that an LFAC upgrade achieves similar and sometimes better results compared with HVDC upgrades. Finally, we analyze the factors which determine the optimal frequency for these upgraded transmission lines, and we demonstrate the benefits of changing the frequency in response to different system topologies and operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new mathematical model for power flow problem based on the linear and nonlinear matrix inequality theory. We start with rectangular model of power flow (PF) problem and then reformulate it as a Bilinear Matrix Inequality (BMI) model. A Theorem is proved which is able to convert this BMI model to a Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) model along with One Nonconvex Quadratic Constraint (ONQC). Our proposed LMI-ONQC model for PF problem has only one single nonconvex quadratic constraint irrespective of the network size, while in the rectangular and BMI models the number of nonconvex constraints grows as the network size grows. This interesting property leads to reduced complexity level in our LMI-ONQC model which in turn makes it easier to solve for finding a PF solution. The non-conservativeness, iterative LMI solvability, well-defined and easy-to-understand geometry and pathwise connectivity of feasibility region are other important properties of proposed LMI-ONQC model which are discussed in this paper. An illustrative two-bus example is carefully studied to show different properties of our LMI-ONQC model. We have also tested our LMI-ONQC model on 30 different power-system cases including four ill-conditioned systems and compared it with a group of existing approaches. The numerical results show the promising performance of our LMI-ONQC model and its solution algorithm to find a PF solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient stability of a power system can be significantly affected by wind power generators due to their stochastic power output and complex dynamic characteristics. This paper proposes a robust optimization approach for coordinating generation dispatch and emergency load shedding against transient instability under uncertain wind power output. The problem is modelled as a two-stage robust optimization (TSRO) model considering transient stability constraints, where the first-stage is to optimize the generation dispatch (preventive control) before a contingency and the second-stage decision is the emergency load shedding (emergency control) after the contingency occurrence under the worst case of wind power variation. To solve this TSRO problem, this paper also proposes a solution algorithm which integrates transient stability assessment and transient stability constraint construction in a column and constraint generation framework. The proposed method is validated on the New-England 39-bus system and the Nordic32 system, which shows high computational efficiency and stability robustness against uncertain wind power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a direct damping feedback control method against power system oscillations under small or large disturbances. For a targeted oscillation mode, this control method continuously minimizes the difference between the real-time estimated damping ratio and a desired value by changing power outputs of selected inverter-based resources. The method adopts a proportional-integral controller whose parameters are tuned using a nonlinear single-input-single-output model on damping estimation and control with a single-oscillator equivalent regarding the targeted power system mode. Also, optimization of these controller parameters considers both robustness and time performance in damping control. The paper also proposes utilizing a “zero-th order” parametric resonance phenomenon to simplify the controller design. Tests on a small power system and a 140-bus 48-machine Northeast Power Coordinating Council system validate the effectiveness of the proposed damping controller utilizing battery-based energy storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper develops an optimization method for assessing transmission network vulnerability to small changes in generation (as caused, for example, by wind forecast inaccuracy). The method computes the smallest deviation (in a weighted 2-norm sense) from the nominal generation pattern that would drive a particular line to a specified temperature, over a given time horizon. The 2-norm weighting matrix provides a means of capturing spatial and temporal coupling between generation sites and time intervals. The temperature constraint is second-order in voltage angle differences. The problem is therefore a quadratically-constrained quadratic program (QCQP). Solving the QCQP for each line in the network yields a set of candidate generation deviation patterns which may then be sorted to determine the lines that are most vulnerable to overloading. The paper develops a computationally efficient algorithm for solving this QCQP. An example explores line-overload vulnerability due to changes in wind patterns. Numerical results emphasize the framework’s ability to incorporate evolving ambient and system conditions, as well as computational scaling properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes an instantaneous voltage model to illustrate the dynamic characteristics of grid voltage in electromagnetic time scale affected by power-electronic interfaced voltage regulatory devices with two typical categories of control systems, i.e., power-current cascading control and power synchronization control, exemplified by the STATCOM and virtual synchronous condenser (VSCON) respectively. In this paper, a linearized instantaneous voltage model is firstly established to analyze the impact paths of control loops in the STATCOM and VSCON. Based on the model, the dynamic process of grid voltage is divided into three stages. Various factors on the dynamic process of grid voltage are analyzed, especially cascading control loops prior to the functioning of AC voltage control. Moreover, stiffness characteristic is proposed to evaluate the effects of power electronic interfaced voltage regulatory devices with different control structures. In addition, the effectiveness of the stiffness compensation based on the VSCON is validated by the study cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of non-linear hardware and control units exists in power electronic system used in grid connected devices. The analytical transient stability analysis of grid-connected converters presents numerous difficulties. A common method to tackle this problem is the stability analysis using Lyapunov’s method. By applying this method, difficulties arise not only from finding a suitable Lyapunov function, but also from checking the constraint of Lyapunov stability. If the appropriate Lyapunov function is a high-order polynomial, it is very challenging to test if it meets the constraints of Lyapunov stability in certain regions. In this paper, the sum-of-squares programming method is used to obtain the estimation of a converter’s domain of attraction with a relatively small number of iterations compared to classically applied methods, such as the Monte Carlo method. The estimation of the domain of attraction are verified by time-domain simulations and StarSim’s controller hardware-in-the-loop tests in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is identified that unstable weak grid connection of voltage source inverters (VSIs) is dominantly caused by the current control. In particular, it is found the proportional gain $ k_p$ of conventional PI controller cannot balance the grid voltage impact and damping capability especially when a very weak grid with short circuit ratio (SCR) $ < $ 1.3 is connected. This issue is solved in this paper by simply restructuring the PI controller as an IP controller for current control. This IP controller will not change the tuning method of current control and make this VSI indeed connect to a very weak grid with rated power injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an optimization framework for sequential reconfiguration using an assortment of switching devices and repair process in distribution system restoration. Compared to existing studies, this paper considers types, capabilities and operational limits of different switching devices, making it applicable in practice. We develop a novel multi-phase method to find the optimal sequential operation of various switching devices and repair faulted areas. We consider circuit breakers, reclosers, sectionalizers, load breaker switches, and fuses. The switching operation problem is decomposed into two mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) subproblems. The first subproblem determines the optimal network topology and estimates the number of steps to reach that topology, while the second subproblem generates a sequence of switching operations to coordinate the switches. For repairing the faults, we design an MILP model that dispatches repair crews to clear faults and replace melted fuses. After clearing a fault, we update the topology of the network by generating a new sequence of switching operations, and the process continues until all faults are cleared. To improve the computational efficiency, a network reduction algorithm is developed to group line sections, such that only switchable sections are present in the reduced network. The proposed method is validated on the IEEE 123-bus and 8500-bus systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A suitable probabilistic scenario set of load demand and natural characteristics of renewable energy is becoming a crucial issue in power system planning studies. Properly addressing the impact of potentially thousands of residential PV plants on the resilience and reliability needs of substations necessitates the representation of inherent relations between photovoltaics and the load throughout the long-term planning period. The optimal planning of substation expansions is achievable through proper modeling of input parameters which describes the characteristics of the service areas. In this paper, the co-existence of PV plants and the load in a service area under three different states such as daytime with clear-sky and no-fault, daytime with abnormal events, and nighttime are incorporated into the stochastic dynamic optimization problem by using scenario-based approach. The scenario tree of the problem is branched from three different bases simultaneously instead of only one as in conventional approach. This paper also combines the risk-constrained stochastic dynamic SEP problem and Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) framework under one roof. The comparison between integrating inherent characteristics of PV plants with and without considering abnormal events into the optimization is performed to show the impact of suitable probabilistic model on dynamic nature of investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a scalable framework for the real-time detection and localization of power line outages in transmission networks. While localizing outages is pivotal for ensuring grid reliability, forming such decisions faces an inherent combinatorial complexity that grows with the grid size and becomes prohibitive even for moderate grid sizes. Hence, designing outage detection and localization algorithms that are amenable to real-time implementation critically hinges on circumventing the computational complexity. This paper proposes a graph-guided quickest change detection (GG-QCD) approach that leverages the grid topology and performs quickest change detection in the spectral domain of the graph underlying grid's topology. The GG-QCD algorithm's key features are that (i) it uses a one-dimensional metric that tests the data's conformity to the grid topology, and (ii) it decouples the detection and localization processes to avoid testing all the lines at all times. Specifically, a lack of such conformity of the data to the system model will be alarming the potential existence of an outage. Once an outage is deemed to exist, an active graph clustering approach will be used to localize the line in outage. The clustering approach will also be relying on the same one-dimensional conformity metric. Overall, this approach will be performing only one test over time when the system is outage-free. Once an outage is detected, it will require $\mathcal {O}(\log (L))$ additional tests to identify the line in outage. This paper presents the theory for GG-QCD and algorithms for outage detection and localization. To evaluate these algorithms’ efficiency and complexity, they are examined in the standard IEEE 30- and 118-bus systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since modern smart grids have various and deeply coupled cyber-physical components, they are vulnerable to malicious cyber attacks. Although regular defenses including firewall and IDS are deployed, they may be weakened by zero-day vulnerabilities and sophisticated attack schemes. Therefore, defense strategies to mitigate the risk of blackouts during cyber attacks are necessary. This paper proposes a cyber-physical coordinated defense strategy to overcome the disruption and minimize the risk as much as possible. At the cyber layer, a zero-sum multilevel Markovian Stackelberg game is proposed to model sequential actions of the attacker and the defender. The defender distributes defensive resources to protect lines in a real-time manner, according to the attacker's action. If cyber attacks should result in physical outages, defense at the physical layer is then employed. A security-constrained optimal power flow reserving security margin of critical components will be performed to minimize the blackout scale and potential future risk. To solve the corresponding optimization problem and further get the optimal defense strategy, this paper devises a novel “water-pouring” algorithm. Lastly, test results show that the proposed dynamic defense strategy mitigates risk significantly and outperforms existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel load shedding scheme with consideration of the active power ramping capability of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) to address the challenges due to low inertia and diverse types of DERs in microgrids. In the paper, it is demonstrated that due to the small inertia in microgrids, even with sufficient reserve power, the frequency could rapidly drop to a low level and trigger the DERs’ under frequency protection (thus the total system collapse), if the reserve active power is not ramped up at a sufficient rate. The proposed load shedding scheme addresses this challenge by considering not only the DERs’ reserve, but also their speed in injecting active power to the system to determine the amount of load should be shed, so that critical frequency thresholds are not violated. The proposed load shedding scheme is tested using a realistic real time hardware-in-the-loop arrangement. The results show that the proposed scheme can correctly detect the cases when the DERs’ responses are too slow and trigger the required load shedding actions, thus effectively containing the frequency above the critical threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes to replace controlled islanding, which is a defense mechanism against cascading failures, by tree partitioning whereby some of the tie-lines connecting the clusters are still connected in such a way that the cluster-level graph forms a tree. Tree-partitioning prevents line failures from spreading between clusters, similarly as for islanding, but keeps the clusters connected. That results in three main advantages. Power transfers between the clusters can still take place, helping to balance each cluster and limiting any necessary load shedding. Fewer lines are cut, which reduces the shock to the system. There is no need to re-synchronize the clusters after the emergency. This paper offers a simple graph-theoretic justification for tree-partitioning, rather than one based on the spectral analysis of network Laplacian proposed in the literature. It also proposes a two-stage methodology, which utilizes spectral clustering for splitting a network into tree-connected clusters. Test results performed on the 118 node IEEE test network have confirmed the usefulness of the methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the existence and stability of equilibrium of dc micro-grids under the master-slave control (where some distributed generations (DGs) are under droop control with dual-loop (Droop-DGs) and some DGs are under MPPT control (MPPT-DGs)). Firstly, the power-flow equation of the dc micro-grids under master-slave control with CPLs is obtained. Then, we transform the solvability of the power-flow equation into the existence of a fixed point for a contraction mapping. Based on Banach's fixed point theorem, a sufficient condition to guarantee the existence of the power-flow solution in dc micro-grids is derived. The condition derived in this paper is not only useful for master-slave control but also for droop control. Besides, to calculate the power-flow solution, an iterative algorithm with exponential convergence rate is proposed. Secondly, we use a singular perturbation model to predict the qualitative behavior of the system near the equilibrium point. By analyzing eigenvalues of the boundary layer system and reduced-order system Jacobian matrix, the robust stable analytic conditions of the system are obtained. The effect of the sampling delay on the system stability is analyzed, the robust stability condition is obtained by using linear matrix inequality. The simulation results verify the correctness of the proposed conditions. The obtained conditions provide a reference for establishing a reliable dc micro-grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most widely installed utility-scale storage facilities, pumped storage hydro (PSH) plays an essential role in providing flexibility for power systems worldwide. Thus, to accurately quantify the flexibility of PSH units in operational optimization problems is important. The conventional PSH models in the literature rarely consider detailed state transitions due to their hourly-based settings. However, it becomes imperative for operational optimization on short-term intervals, especially with increasing shares of renewable energy in power systems. To this end, this paper presents a novel deterministic PSH model that considers the transition time and trajectory between three states of PSH units in look-ahead dispatch. Moreover, to better characterize the varying efficiency of PSH units with water head and flow rate, this paper proposes to model detailed head-dependent efficiency curves (hereafter called input-output curves) in look-ahead dispatch, which encounters heavy computational burdens when short time intervals are applied. In this work, a zig-zag piece-wise linear approximation method is used for input-output curve modeling. This can enable an accurate quantification for variable efficiency and head dependence in a computationally effective manner. Numerical results are presented to show performances of the proposed PSH model in both flexibility quantification and computation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droop control is a viable method for the operation of island DC microgrids in a decentralized architecture. This paper presents a mixed-integer conic optimization formulation for the design of generator droop control, comprising the parameters of a piecewise linear droop curve. The mixed-integer formulation originates from a stochastic optimization framework that considers several operating scenarios for finding the optimal design. The convexity of the mixed-integer problem continuous relaxation gives global optimality guarantees for the design problem. The paper presents computational results using a tight polyhedral approximation of the conic program, leading to a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem that is solved using a state-of-the-art commercial solver. The results from the proposed approach are contrasted with both a classic linear droop control design and a recent piecewise linear formulation. The Monte-Carlo simulation results quantify the extent to which the MILP solution is superior in reducing voltage violations and power loss, and the degree to which the loss is close to that from a conic optimal power flow solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of the variable renewable energies makes the operation conditions of the power system ever-changeable. Consequently, the power system operational reliability evaluation is increasingly important. This paper introduces the concept of decision-dependent uncertainty (DDU) in the operational reliability evaluation. Unlike the exogenous uncertainties, DDU reveals that the decisions of the system operation could significantly affect the resolution of the uncertainties which influence the reliability metrics. In this paper, the proposed DDU modeling method links the device reliability indices, i.e., the forced outage rate, and the operational-decision variables. The impacts of DDU on operational reliability are analyzed based on a reliability-constrained stochastic unit commitment (UC) model. An adaptive reliability improvement UC (ARIUC) algorithm is proposed to efficiently solve the problem. Case studies underline the necessity of considering DDU in power system operational reliability evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Case-by-case study in the literature has found from the results of numerical computation and simulation that a grid-connected virtual synchronous generator (VSG) can maintain the stability under the condition of extremely weak grid connection. This paper presents the theoretical proof to the finding and thus, generally concludes that the grid-connected VSG is immune to the instability risk under the condition of weak grid connection. In addition, the paper extends the theoretical proof to the case of a grid-connected PMSG wind farm with multiple VSGs. An example grid-connected PMSG wind farm with twenty VSGs is presented to demonstrate and evaluate the theoretical analysis and conclusion made in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the development of cyber-physical systems for modernizing power grids, vulnerability assessment has become an emerging focus in power system security studies. With the increasing deployment of cyber-enabled technologies in power systems, modern power system is prevalently exposed to a wide gamut of cybersecurity threats. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop effective cyber risk management mechanisms to mitigate the growing cyberthreats. Recently cyber insurance is emerging as a promising financial instrument for cyber risk management of critical infrastructures such as power grids. In this paper, a new cyber-insurance design framework is proposed to hedge against the risk of massive monetary losses due to potential cyberthreats. Traditionally, insurance companies serve as third-party risk-bearers offering aggregate design of the insurance policy which may stipulate high premiums. However, unusual loss patterns may still lead to excess financial risk for insurance companies. In this paper, coalitional insurance is introduced as a promising alternative or supplement to the traditional insurance plans provided by insurance companies. Under the proposed cyber-insurance model, several transmission operators form an insurance coalition, where the coalitional premiums are derived considering system vulnerabilities and loss distributions. The indemnity which covers the loss of TOs complies with the budget sufficiency. Overall, this study proposes a novel coalitional platform based cyber-insurance design that estimates the insurance premiums via cybersecurity modeling and reliability implication analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a distributionally robust network-constrained unit commitment (DR-NCUC) model considering AC network modeling and uncertainties of demands and renewable productions. The proposed model characterizes uncertain parameters using a data-driven ambiguity set constructed by training samples. The non-convex AC power flow equations are approximated by convex quadratic and McCormick relaxations. Since the proposed min-max-min DR-NCUC problem cannot be solved directly by available solvers, a new decomposition algorithm with proof of convergence is reported in this paper. The master problem of this algorithm is solved using both primal and dual cuts, while the max-min sub-problem is solved using the primal-dual hybrid gradient method, obviating the need for using duality theory. Also, an active set strategy is proposed to enhance the tractability of the decomposition algorithm by ignoring the subset of inactive constraints. The proposed model is applied to a 6-bus test system and the IEEE 118-bus test system under different conditions. These case studies illustrate the performance of the proposed DR-NCUC model to characterize uncertainties and the superiority of the proposed decomposition algorithm over other decomposition approaches using either primal or dual cuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analytically derives oscillatory stability criteria of a grid-connected PMSG based on the block diagram model. The derivation reveals the general mechanism about how the condition of grid connection, loading and converter control parameters setting of the PMSG jointly affect the oscillatory stability of the PMSG. It logically explains why the condition of weak grid connection and heavy loading may cause destabilization. In addition, computationally simple and modal-computation free indices are proposed to identify the instability risk caused by the “improper parameters setting” of the control system of grid side converter (GSC) and the phase locked loop (PLL). Following analytical conclusions are obtained: (1) When the PLL is of high-frequency bandwidth, high-frequency oscillations are mainly caused by the PLL or the open-loop modal resonance between the PLL and current control of the GSC. In addition, the low-frequency oscillations may also occur as caused by the power control of the GSC. (2) When the PLL is of low-frequency bandwidth, low-frequency oscillations may be caused jointly by the power control of GSC and the PLL. An example grid-connected wind farm with eighteen similar PMSGs is presented to demonstrate and evaluate the stability criteria derived and analytical conclusions obtained in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-simulation of heterogeneous systems allows for in-depth analysis of various aspects of power systems’ operation while staying within the environments of the simulation tools that are best fit to represent their respective domains. Equipped with a proprietary co-simulation platform, the paper focuses on the issue of power-conjugate coupling between parts of power grids modeled in transient stability and electromagnetic transient simulation tools. The problems of co-simulation stability and precision in presence of delays are tackled by means of designing a proper coupling interface. It is shown that two established interface methods – the V-I method and the Transmission Line Interface – are special cases of a generalized interface framework proposed in the paper. Moreover, a new interface algorithm is described by parametrizing the generalized framework. Analytical tools are also formulated to aid in the analysis of interface stability and precision via the concepts of passivity and transparency. Simulation results of benchmark systems of various complexity demonstrate the application of the developed power coupling interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]