Power System Frequency Measurement Based Data Analytics and Situational Awareness

This dissertation presents several measurement-based research from power system wide-area dynamics data analytics to real-time situational awareness application development. All the research are grounded on the power system phasor measurements provided by wide-area Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET/GridEye), which collects the Global Positioning System (GPS) signal synchronized power system phasor measurements at distribution networks. The synchronized frequency measurement at FNET/GridEye enables real-time monitoring of bulk power systems (BPSs) and allows the dynamics interpretation of power system disturbances. Research on both the dynamic and ambient frequency measurements are conducted in this dissertation.The dynamics refer to the frequency measurement when the system is experiencing sudden contingencies. This dissertation focuses on two types of contingency: generation trip and oscillation and conducts both data analytics and corresponding real-time applications. Historical generation trip events in North America are analyzed in purpose to develop a frequency measurement based indicator of power systems low inertia events. Then the frequency response study is extended to bulk power systems worldwide to derive its association with system capacity size. As an essential parameter involved in the frequency response, the magnitude of the power imbalances is estimated based on multiple linear regression for improved accuracy. With respect to situational awareness, a real-time FNET/GridEye generation trip detection tool is developed for PMU use at power utilities and ISOs, which overcomes several challenges brought by different data situations.Regarding the oscillation dynamics, statistical analysis is accomplished on power system inter-area oscillations demonstrating the yearly trend of low-frequency oscillations and the association with system load. A novel real-time application is developed to detect power systems sustained oscillation in large area. The application would significantly facilitate the power grid situational awareness enhancement and system resiliency improvement.Furthermore, an additional project is executed on the ambient frequency measurement at FNET/GridEye. This project discloses the correlation between power system frequency and the electric clock time drift. In practice, this technique serves to track the time drifts in traffic signal systems

Data Mining and Machine Learning Applications of Wide-Area Measurement Data in Electric Power Systems

Wide-area measurement systems (WAMS) are quickly becoming an important part of modern power system operation. By utilizing the Global Positioning System, WAMS offer highly accurate time-synchronized measurements that can reveal previously unobtainable insights into the grid’s status. An example WAMS is the Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET), which utilizes a large number of Internet-connected low-cost Frequency Disturbance Recorders (FDRs) that are installed at the distribution level. The large amounts of data collected by FNET and other WAMS present unique opportunities for data mining and machine learning applications, yet these techniques have only recently been applied in this domain. The research presented here explores some additional applications that may prove useful once WAMS are fully integrated into the power system. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the FNET system that supplies the data used for this research. Chapter 2 reviews recent research efforts in the application of data mining and machine learning techniques to wide-area measurement data. In Chapter 3, patterns in frequency extrema in the Eastern and Western Interconnections are explored using cluster analysis. In Chapter 4, an artificial neural network (ANN)-based classifier is presented that can reliably distinguish between different types of power system disturbances based solely on their frequency signatures. Chapter 5 presents a technique for constructing electromechanical transient speed maps for large power systems using FNET data from previously detected events. Chapter 6 describes an object-oriented software framework useful for developing FNET data analysis applications. In the United States, recent environmental regulations will likely result in the removal of nearly 30 GW of oil and coal-fired generation from the grid, mostly in the Eastern Interconnection (EI). The effects of this transition on voltage stability and transmission line flows have previously not been studied from a system-wide perspective. Chapter 7 discusses the results of power flow studies designed to simulate the evolution of the EI over the next few years as traditional generation sources are replaced with greener ones such as natural gas and wind. Conclusions, a summary of the main contributions of this work, and a discussion of possible future research topics are given in Chapter 8

An Assessment of PIER Electric Grid Research 2003-2014 White Paper

This white paper describes the circumstances in California around the turn of the 21st century that led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to direct additional Public Interest Energy Research funds to address critical electric grid issues, especially those arising from integrating high penetrations of variable renewable generation with the electric grid. It contains an assessment of the beneficial science and technology advances of the resultant portfolio of electric grid research projects administered under the direction of the CEC by a competitively selected contractor, the University of California’s California Institute for Energy and the Environment, from 2003-2014

Tie-line modelling in interconnected synchrophasor network for monitoring grid observability, cyber intrusion and reliability

The incorporation of a tie-line between two areas may be beneficial in two ways. First, the reserve capacity of the assisting area support to the assisted area, and second, the number of Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) requirements will become smaller for complete observability of the interconnected grid. The objective function is formulated to integrate the observability and reliability analysis for the two interconnected synchrophasor networks. The effect of Zero Injection Bus (ZIB) is included in the observability constraints to reduce the number of PMUs deployed in the system. The number of optimal PMU deployments will be greater for two interconnected systems in comparison with a single area. Therefore, interconnected systems become more vulnerable to cyber risk. The paper discusses the cumulative analysis of system observability and reliability during an anomaly situation that occurs with a PMU device due to a cyber-attack. The reliability indices Interconnected System Load Interruption Probability (ISLIP) and Interconnected System Demand Not Supplied (ISDNS) are evaluated when an anomaly occurs with optimally deployed PMU in the network by including and excluding the effect of ZIB. By doing so, the most reliable location for PMU deployment can be obtained for both the area. Reliability Test System (RTS)-24 bus is used for each area to modify the test system by incorporating tie-lines between them

Dynamic Modeling and Renewable Integration Studies on the U.S. Power Grids

Wind and solar generation have gained a significant momentum in the last five years in the United States. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the installed wind power capacity has tripled from 25,410 MW in early 2009 to 74,472 MW as of the end of 2015. Meanwhile, solar photovoltaic (PV) is reported that its capacity has skyrocketed from 298 MW in 2009 to 7,260 MW in 2015 by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Despite the fact that wind and solar only make up 4.4% and 0.4% , respectively, of total electricity generation in 2014, the nation is right on its track to the Department of Energy (DOE)’s goal of 20% wind and 14% solar by year 2030. The future of renewable energy is aspiring. The rapid growth in renewable generation results in an urge to studying the reliability implication of renewable integration. For this purpose, two DOE projects were funded to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The first project, Grid Operational Issues and Analyses of the Eastern Interconnection (EI), is aimed at studying the dynamic stability impact of high wind penetration on the U.S. EI system in year 2030. The second project, Frequency Response Assessment and Improvement of Three Major North American Interconnections due to High Penetrations of Photovoltaic Generation, concentrates on the influence of high solar penetration on primary frequency response. This thesis documents the efforts of the above-mentioned two projects. Chapter 1 gives an introduction on power system dynamic modeling. Chapter 2 describes the process of dynamic models development. Chapter 3 discusses the adoption of synchro-phasor measurement for system-level dynamic model validation and the impact of turbine governor deadband on system dynamic response. Chapter 4 presents a stability impact study of high wind penetration on the U.S. Eastern Grid. Chapter 5 documents the modeling and simulation of the EI system under high solar penetration. Chapter 6 summaries two dynamic model reduction studies on the EI system. Conclusions, a summary of the major contribution of the Ph.D. work, and a discussion of possible future work are given in Chapter 7

DATA POISONING ATTACKS ON PHASOR MEASUREMENT UNIT DATA

Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have been widely used in several regions to improve bulk power system situational awareness. PMUs provide utilities with enhanced monitoring and control capabilities and are regarded as one of the future\u27s most important measuring devices for power systems. Classifying PMU events is critical for making the power transmission system more reliable. Researchers have made tremendous progress in developing robust event classification models based on machine learning techniques; however, the proposed methods are vulnerable against adversarial attacks which potentially can degrade the event classification performance significantly. In this project, we evaluate the vulnerability of event classification models against data poisoning attacks for PMU data using feature collision attack. Moreover, we will leverage real-world PMU data to generate the poisonous data and observe how the added perturbations can change the measurement data. We will explain how to knowingly generate poisoned PMU data using a feature collision attack and its negative impact on a reliable event classifier

Electromechanical Dynamics of High Photovoltaic Power Grids

This dissertation study focuses on the impact of high PV penetration on power grid electromechanical dynamics. Several major aspects of power grid electromechanical dynamics are studied under high PV penetration, including frequency response and control, inter-area oscillations, transient rotor angle stability and electromechanical wave propagation.To obtain dynamic models that can reasonably represent future power systems, Chapter One studies the co-optimization of generation and transmission with large-scale wind and solar. The stochastic nature of renewables is considered in the formulation of mixed-integer programming model. Chapter Two presents the development procedures of high PV model and investigates the impact of high PV penetration on frequency responses. Chapter Three studies the impact of PV penetration on inter-area oscillations of the U.S. Eastern Interconnection system. Chapter Four presents the impacts of high PV on other electromechanical dynamic issues, including transient rotor angle stability and electromechanical wave propagation. Chapter Five investigates the frequency response enhancement by conventional resources. Chapter Six explores system frequency response improvement through real power control of wind and PV. For improving situation awareness and frequency control, Chapter Seven studies disturbance location determination based on electromechanical wave propagation. In addition, a new method is developed to generate the electromechanical wave propagation speed map, which is useful to detect system inertia distribution change. Chapter Eight provides a review on power grid data architectures for monitoring and controlling power grids. Challenges and essential elements of data architecture are analyzed to identify various requirements for operating high-renewable power grids and a conceptual data architecture is proposed. Conclusions of this dissertation study are given in Chapter Nine