State estimation is widely used as a tool to evaluate the real time power system prevailing conditions. State estimation algorithms could suffer divergence under stressed system conditions. This dissertation first investigates impacts of variations of load levels and topology errors on the convergence property of the commonly used weighted least square (WLS) state estimator. The influence of topology errors on the condition number of the gain matrix in the state estimator is also analyzed. The minimum singular value of gain matrix is proposed to measure the distance between the operating point and state estimation divergence. To study the impact of the load increment on the convergence property of WLS state estimator, two types of load increment are utilized: one is the load increment of all load buses, and the other is a single load increment. In addition, phasor measurement unit (PMU) measurements are applied in state estimation to verify if they could solve the divergence problem and improve state estimation accuracy. The dissertation investigates the impacts of variations of line power flow increment and topology errors on convergence property of the WLS state estimator. A simple 3-bus system and the IEEE 118-bus system are used as the test cases to verify the common rule. Furthermore, the simulation results show that adding PMU measurements could generally improve the robustness of state estimation. Two new approaches for improving the robustness of the state estimation with PMU measurements are proposed. One is the equality-constrained state estimation with PMU measurements, and the other is Hachtel's matrix state estimation with PMU measurements approach. The dissertation also proposed a new heuristic approach for optimal placement of phasor measurement units (PMUs) in power system for improving state estimation accuracy. In the problem of adding PMU measurements into the estimator, two methods are investigated. Method I is to mix PMU measurements with conventional measurements in the estimator, and method II is to add PMU measurements through a post-processing step. These two methods can achieve very similar state estimation results, but method II is a more time-efficient approach which does not modify the existing state estimation software.

Power system stabilizers (PSSs) provide the most economical way to improve damping of electro-mechanical oscillations in electrical power systems. Synchrophasor technology enables the use of remotely measured signals in the PSS allowing for greater flexibility in the design of the PSS. Issues related to the transmission of remote signals should be addressed before implementing such systems in practice. This study investigates two of the data transmission issues: (i) delays, and (ii) data dropout; using a synchrophasor-based PSS designed for a two-area four-generator power system model. A time delayed system is modeled using discrete transformation and the effect of the constant delay on the control action of improving damping of an electro-mechanical oscillation is determined analytically. The effect of random delays and data dropout is investigated using non-linear simulations considering viable remedies to overcome these effects. This research also identifies effective means of using synchrophasor signals for improving the performance of PSSs. Primarily, this research introduces a novel control design algorithm based on eigenstructure assignment that could utilize remotely measured signals to design a robust PSS considering different operating conditions at the design stage. Remote signals could be used as additional inputs to the controller, which introduces extra degrees of freedom. In eigenstructure assignment, these additional degrees of freedom are used to assign eigenvalues and eigenvectors to have adequate damping performance of the system over different operating conditions. The algorithm is formulated as a derivative-free non-linear optimization problem and solved using a single step of optimization by eliminating the use of eigenvalue sensitivities. The proposed algorithm is tested for the 68 bus model of the interconnected New England test system and New York power system. Three different control configurations that use local and remote signals are considered in the design. The algorithm is solved using non-linear simplex optimization considering different initial points for seeking a global solution. Delays in the remote signals are also incorporated into the design. The designed controllers are verified in a non-linear simulation platform. Finally, the reliability of synchrophasor-based PSS is discussed in brief. / February 2016

abstract: On-line dynamic security assessment (DSA) analysis has been developed and applied in several power dispatching control centers. Existing applications of DSA systems are limited by the assumption of the present system operating conditions and computational speeds. To overcome these obstacles, this research developed a novel two-stage DSA system to provide periodic security prediction in real time. The major contribution of this research is to develop an open source on-line DSA system incorporated with Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data and forecast load. The pre-fault prediction of the system can provide more accurate assessment of the system and minimize the disadvantage of a low computational speed of time domain simulation. This Thesis describes the development of the novel two-stage on-line DSA scheme using phasor measurement and load forecasting data. The computational scheme of the new system determines the steady state stability and identifies endangerments in a small time frame near real time. The new on-line DSA system will periodically examine system status and predict system endangerments in the near future every 30 minutes. System real-time operating conditions will be determined by state estimation using phasor measurement data. The assessment of transient stability is carried out by running the time-domain simulation using a forecast working point as the initial condition. The forecast operating point is calculated by DC optimal power flow based on forecast load. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2017

This thesis develops a robust methodology for on-line identification of power system dynamic signature based on incoming system responses from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) in Wide Area Measurement Systems (WAMS). Data mining techniques are used in the methodology to convert real-time monitoring data into transient stability information and the pattern of system dynamic behaviour in the event of instability. The future power system may operate closer to its stability limit in order to improve its efficiency and economic value. The changing types and patterns of load and generation are resulting in highly variable operating conditions. Corrective control and stabilisation is becoming a potentially viable option to enable safer system operation. In the meantime, the number of WAMS projects and PMUs is rising, which will significantly improve the system situational awareness. The combination of all these factors means that it is of vital importance to exploit a new and efficient Transient Stability Assessment (TSA) tool in order to use real-time PMU data to support decisions for corrective control actions. Data mining has been studied as the innovative solution and considered as promising. This work contributes to a number of areas of power systems stability research, specifically around the data driven approach for real-time emergency mode TSA. A review of past research on on-line TSA using PMU measurements and data mining is completed, from which the Decision Tree (DT) method is found to be the most suitable. This method is implemented on the test network. A DT model is trained and the sensitivity of its prediction accuracy is assessed according to a list of network uncertainties. Results showed that DT is a useful tool for on-line TSA for corrective control approach. Following the implementation, a generic probabilistic framework for the assessment of the prediction accuracy of data mining models is developed. This framework is independent of the data mining technique. It performs an exhaustive search of possible contingencies in the testing process and weighs the accuracies according to the realistic probability distribution of uncertain system factors, and provides the system operators with the confidence level of the decisions made under emergency conditions. After that, since the TSA for corrective control usually focuses on transient stability status without dealing with the generator grouping in the event of instability, a two-stage methodology is proposed to address this gap and to identify power system dynamic signature. In this methodology, traditional binary classification is used to identify transient stability in the first stage; Hierarchical Clustering is used to pre-define patterns of unstable dynamic behaviour; and different multiclass classification techniques are investigated to identify the patterns in the second stage. Finally, the effects of practical issues related to WAMS on the data mining methodologies are investigated. Five categories of issues are discussed, including measurement error, communication noise, wide area signal delays, missing measurements, and a limited number of PMUs.

The operation and control of the power system in an efficient way is important in order to keep the system secure, reliable and economical. With advancements in smart grid, several new algorithms have been developed for improved operation and control. These algorithms need to be extensively tested and validated in real time before applying to the real electric power grid. This work focuses on the development of a real time test bed for testing and validating power system control algorithms, hardware devices and cyber security vulnerability. The test bed developed utilizes several hardware components including relays, phasor measurement units, phasor data concentrator, programmable logic controllers and several software tools. Current work also integrates historian for power system monitoring and data archiving. Finally, two different power system test cases are simulated to demonstrate the applications of developed test bed. The developed test bed can also be used for power system education.

Large scale outages have occurred worldwide in recent decades with some impacting 15-25% of a nation’s population. The complexity of blackouts has been extensively studied but many questions remain. As there are no perfect solutions to prevent blackouts, usually caused by a complex sequence of cascading events, a number of different measures need to be undertaken to minimize impact of future disturbances. Increase in deployment of phasor measurement units (PMUs) across the grid has given power industry an unprecedented technology to study dynamic behavior of the system in real time. Integration of large scale synchronized measurements with SCADA system requires a careful roadmap and methodology. When properly engineered, tested, and implemented, information extracted from synchrophasor data streams provides realtime observability for transmission system. Synchrophasor data can provide operators with quick insight into precursors of blackout (e.g., angular divergence) which are unavailable in traditional SCADA systems. Current visualization tools and SE functions, supported by SCADA, provide some basic monitoring. Inaccuracies in measurements and system models, absence of redundancy in the measured parameters or breaker statuses in most cases, and lack of synchronization and time resolution in SCADA data result in limited functionality and precision for a typical EMS required in today’s operating environment of tighter margins that require more frequent and more precise data. Addition of synchrophasor data, typically having several orders of magnitude higher temporal resolution, (i.e., 60 to 120 measurements per second as opposed to one measurement every 4 to 8 seconds), can help detect higher speed phenomena and system oscillations. Also, time synchronization to one micro-second allows for accurate comparison of phase angles across the grid and identification of major disturbances and islanding. This dissertation proposes a more comprehensive, holistic set of criteria for optimizing PMU placement with consideration for diverse factors that can influence PMU siting decision-making process and incorporates several practical implementation aspects. An innovative approach to interoperability testing is presented and solutions are offered to address the challenges. The proposed methodology is tested to prove the concept and address real-life implementation challenges, such as interoperability among the PMUs located across a large area.

As the power industry enters the new century, powerful driving forces, uncertainties and new services and functions are compelling electric utilities to make dramatic changes in the way they communicate. Expanding network services such as real time monitoring are also driving the need for more increasing bandwidth in the communication network backbone. These needs will grow further as new remote real-time protection and control applications become more feasible and pervasive. This dissertation addresses two main issues for the future power system information infrastructure: communication network infrastructure and associated power system applications. Optical network no doubt will become the predominate network for the next generation power system communication. The rapid development of fiber optic network technology poses new challenges in the areas of topology design, network management and real time applications. Based on advanced fiber optic technologies, an all-fiber network was investigated and proposed. The study will cover the system architecture and data exchange protocol aspects. High bandwidth, robust optical network could provide great opportunities to the power system for better service and efficient operation. In the dissertation, different applications were investigated. One of the typical applications is the SCADA information accessing system. An Internet-based application for the substation automation system will be presented. VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) technology is also used for one-line diagrams auto-generation. High transition rate and low latency optical network is especially suitable for power system real time control. In the dissertation, a new local area network based Load Shedding Controller (LSC) for isolated power system will be presented. By using PMU and fiber optic network, an AGE (Area Generation Error) based accurate wide area load shedding scheme will also be proposed. The objective is to shed the load in the limited area with minimum disturbance. / Ph. D.

For decades, researchers have sought to make the North American power system as reliable as possible with many security measures in place to include redundancy. Yet the increasing number of blackouts and failures have highlighted the areas that require improvement. Meeting the increasing demand for energy and the growing complexity of the loads are two of the main challenges faced by the power grid. In order to prepare for contingencies and maintain a secure state, power engineers must perform simulations using steady state and dynamic models of the system. The results from the contingency studies are only as accurate as the models of the grid components. The load components are generally the most difficult to model since they are controlled by the consumer. This study focuses on developing static and dynamic load models using advanced mathematical approximation algorithms and wide area measurement devices, which will improve the accuracy of the system analysis and hopefully decrease the frequency of blackouts. The increasing integration of phasor measurement units (PMUs) into the power system allows us to take advantage of synchronized measurements at a high data rate. These devices are capable of changing the way we manage online security within the Energy Management System (EMS) and can enhance our offline tools. This type of data helps us redevelop the measurement-based approach to load modeling. The static ZIP load model composition is estimated using a variation of the method of least squares, called bounded-variable least squares. The bound on the ZIP load parameters allows the measurement matrix to be slightly correlated. The ZIP model can be determined within a small range of error that won't affect the contingency studies. Machine learning is used to design the dynamic load model. Neural network training is applied to fault data obtained near the load bus and the derived network model can estimate the load parameters. The neural network is trained using simulated data and then applied to real PMU measurements. A PMU algorithm was developed to transform the simulated measurements into a realistic representation of phasor data. These new algorithms will allow us to estimate the load models that are used in contingency studies. / Ph. D.

The world of power systems is ever changing; ever evolving. One such evolution was the advent of Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs). With the introduction of PMUs in the field, power system monitoring and control changed for the better. Innovative and efficient algorithms that used synchrophasors came to be written. To make these algorithms robust, it became necessary to remove errors that crept into the power system with time and usage. Thus the process of calibration became essential when practical decisions started being made based on PMU measurements. In the context of this thesis ‘calibration’ is the method used to estimate a correction factor which, when multiplied with the respective measurement, negates the effect of any errors that might have crept into them due to the instrument transformers located at the inputs of a PMU or the PMU device itself. Though this thesis mainly deals with the calibration of instrument transformers, work has been done previously for calibrating other components of a power system. A brief description of those methods have been provided along with a history on instrument transformer calibration. Three new methodologies for instrument transformer calibration have been discussed in details in this thesis. The first method describes how only voltage transformers can be calibrated by placing optimal number of good quality voltage measurements at strategic locations in the grid, in presence of ratio errors in the instrument transformers and Gaussian errors in the PMUs. The second method provides a way to calibrate all instrument transformers (both current and voltage) in presence of only one good quality voltage measurement located at the end of a tie-line. This method assumes that all the instrument transformers have ratio errors and the PMUs have quantization errors. The third method attains the same objective as the second one, with the additional constraint that the data obtained from the field may be contaminated. Thus, the third method shows how calibration of all the instrument transformers can be done with data that is intermittent and is therefore, the most practical approach (of the three) for instrument transformer calibration. / Master of Science

As power system grids continue to grow in order to support an increasing energy demand, the system's behavior accordingly evolves, continuing to challenge designs for maintaining security. It has become apparent in the past few years that, as much as discovering vulnerabilities in the power network, accurate simulations are very critical. This study explores a classification method for validating simulation models, using disturbance measurements from phasor measurement units (PMU). The technique used employs the Random Forest learning algorithm to find a correlation between specific model parameter changes, and the variations in the dynamic response. Also, the measurements used for building and evaluating the classifiers were characterized using Prony decomposition. The generator model, consisting of an exciter, governor, and its standard parameters have been validated using short circuit faults. Single-error classifiers were first tested, where the accuracies of the classifiers built using positive, negative, and zero sequence measurements were compared. The negative sequence measurements have consistently produced the best classifiers, with majority of the parameter classes attaining F-measure accuracies greater than 90%. A multiple-parameter error technique for validation has also been developed and tested on standard generator parameters. Only a few target parameter classes had good accuracies in the presence of multiple parameter errors, but the results were enough to permit a sequential process of validation, where elimination of a highly detectable error can improve the accuracy of suspect errors dependent on the former's removal, and continuing the procedure until all corrections are covered. / Ph. D.