This report describes research undertaken into the development of new grid operating tools that rely on an emerging new class of monitoring data called time-synchronized phasor-measurements. These tools will ultimately enable grid operators—for the first time ever—to directly observe and, therefore, enable real-time responses to the problems that led to the 1996 and 2003 blackouts. The focus of this research effort is on operator visualization and decision-support tools based on using phasor measurements in real-time. There are no current precedents for such real-time applications of phasor measurements. Ultimately, the research performed will support applications that could be developed, prototyped, demonstrated, and relied upon by grid operating staff to develop and support the implementation of new operating guidelines and controls. These guidelines and controls would respond to problems—such as those that occurred during the 1996 and 2003 blackouts—either manually or automatically.
The key activities were to:
This project was performed in close coordination with a project conducted by Electric Power Group (EPG), under Energy Commission contract Number 500-08-048, which, among other things, integrated the research into prototypes and led the development of the updated roadmap.