Reducing Blackout Likelihood via Advances in Tripping, Reclosing, Load Shedding, and System Separation Strategies

Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI

Investigators

Abstract

The North American power grid is a critical infrastructure whose reliability, operational security, and integrity are vital to our national security. Grid operation tends to be thought mostly in steady-state terms. A new look is taken at the actual transient and stability behaviors, using the results to reduce blackout likelihood and maintain a secure system. The PIs emphasize improved security by enhancement of protection schemes. Intellectual Merits: Improved approaches will be developed with the goal of enhancing system security and avoiding serious critical situations from arising. Key issues to be addressed include: the limitations of 3-pole tripping and reclosing in a heavily-loaded system, increased use of single-pole tripping and reclosing, transient and stability effects of switching, tripping, and reclosing, strategies for more intelligent load shedding decisions, local and wide-area conditions and associated dynamic VAR issues, and controlled system islanding. Broader Impacts: There is a national need to better understand power system protection, system security and reliability, and attendant issues in order to better protect the national power grid. Recent blackouts have made the above issues very visible and have shown there is an urgent need for advances. The research results will be incorporated into the coursework in Electrical Engineering at Michigan Tech and involves undergraduate students. Industrial partners are also integral to the project.