Risk and Resiliency of the Electric Power Grid: Mathematical and Statistical Challenges

Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX

Investigators

Abstract

The electric power grid is dramatically changing as new technologies and policies are being implemented. These changes will affect the quality of delivered electric power to the consumer, and will pose new risks and alter the resiliency of the power grid system. To understand and mitigate these risks and to strengthen the resiliency, mathematical and statistical techniques will be invaluable. The goal of this workshop, held July 14, 2015 in Arlington, Virginia, is to bring together the representatives from the power grid engineering, mathematics, and statistics communities to discuss some of the challenges in the power grid. The workshop involves participants from the academic-based mathematical and statistical sciences and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Power grid experts from DOE will share their knowledge, experience, and visions of the current and future power grid, particularly for large-scale, real power grid networks. This will ensure that realistic power grid challenges are addressed by the mathematics and statistics communities. The workshop will include several talks from power grid experts and mathematicians who have investigated topics related to the power grid. Topics to be included are stability analysis, uncertainty quantification, model reduction, graph networks, and algorithmic development for the grid. Floor discussions will be encouraged, both for elucidating the problems to math/stats researchers new to this field and for discussing math/stats directions in power grid research. At the end of the workshop, the organizers will produce a report for the agencies and participants, summarizing the talks, discussions, and possible research directions.