Online monitoring of voltage stability margin using PMU measurements

Abstract

With the growing smart grid concept it becomes important to monitor health of the power system at regular intervals for its secure and reliable operation. Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) may play a vital role in this regard. This paper presents voltage stability monitoring in real time framework using synchrophasor measurements obtained by PMUs. Proposed approach estimates real power loading margin as well as reactive power loading margin of most critical bus using PMU data. As system operating conditions keep on changing, loading margin as well as critical bus information is updated at regular intervals using fresh PMU measurements. Simulations have been carried out using Power System Analysis Toolbox (PSAT) software. Accuracy of proposed Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) based estimation of voltage stability margin has been tested by comparing results with loading margin obtained by continuation power flow method (an offline approach for accurate estimation of voltage stability margin) under same set of operating conditions. Case studies performed on IEEE 14-bus system, New England 39-bus system and a practical 246-bus Indian power system validate effectiveness of proposed approach of online monitoring of loading margin.