A New Method for Estimating

Maximum Power Transfer and Voltage

Stability Margins to Mitigate the Risk of
Voltage Collapse
Bernie Lesieutre
Dan Molzahn
University of Wisconsin-Madison

PSERC Webinar, October 15, 2013

Voltage Stability

Static:
- Loading, Power Flows
- Local Reactive Power Support
Dynamic:
- Component Controls
- Network Controls

OVERVIEW: Static Voltage Stability Margin

Voltage, V

Margin

Power
A common voltage stability margin measures the distance from
a post-contingency operating point to the nose point on a
power-voltage curve.
3

OVERVIEW: Static Voltage Stability Margin

Voltage, V
Margin (negative)

Power
Its even possible that a normal power flow solution wont exist,
post contingency.
4

ISSUES
Voltage, V

Margin

Power
1. We dont know the values on the curve.
2. We dont know whether a post-contingency operating point
exists!
5

Typical Approach

Run post-contingency power flow. This may or

may not converge.
If successful, determine nose point: use a
sequence of power flows with increasing load, or
a continuation power flow.

Our Approach

Cast as an optimization problem:

Minimize the controlled voltages while a
solution exists. (Claim: a solution exists.)
Exploit the quadratic nature of the power
flow equations to directly obtain
Traditional Voltage Stability Margin
even when the margin is negative.

Advantages

Eliminates need for repeated solutions

(multiple power flows, continuation power flows)
Often offers provably globally optimal results
Works when the margin is negative, i.e. when
there isnt a solution.

OVERVIEW: Static Voltage Stability Margin

Voltage, V

Margin

V0
Vopt

P0

Pmax

Power

Optimal Solution
9

Power Flow Equations: Review

(ID1+jIQ1)
(VD1+jVQ1)

Electrical Network
I = YV
Y = G+jB

(VDN+jVQN)
(IDN+jIQN)

Current Injection equations in Rectangular Coordinates:

10

Power Flow Equations: Review

(P1+jQ1)
(VD1+jVQ1)

Electrical Network
I = YV
Y = G+jB

(VDN+jVQN)
(PN+jQN)

Power Injection equations in Rectangular Coordinates:

11

Power Flow Equations

The power flow equations are quadratic in voltage variables:

For reference, power engineers almost always express

these equations in voltage polar coordinates:

12

Classical Power Flow Constraints

Bus Type

Specified

Calculated

PQ (load)

P, Q

V,

PV (generator)

P, V

Q,

V, = 0

P, Q

Slack

The controlled voltages are the problem-specified

slack and generator voltage magnitudes.
Locking the controlled voltages in constant
proportion, and allowing them to scale by , we claim
a power solution exists for any power flow injection
profile. (subject to the unimportant small print.)
13

Optimization Problem
Modify the power flow formulation to
Slack bus voltage magnitude unconstrained
PV bus voltage magnitudes scale with slack bus
voltage
Minimize slack bus voltage

14

Optimization Problem
This optimization problem can be solved many different
ways
Weve been using the convex relaxation formulation for
the power flow equations (Lavaei, Low) because we
really want (provably) the minimum solution.
The problem has a feasible solution
The optimization using the convex relaxation can be
solved for a global minimum (and hopefully a feasible
power flow solution).

15

Relaxed Problem Formulation

In Rectangular coordinates, define

Then, power flow equations can be written in the form

where

Which is a rank one matrix by construction.

16

Relaxed Problem Formulation

The convex relaxation is introduced by relaxing the rank of
W. With that, we pose the following convex optimization
problem:

17

Semidefinite Relaxation Example

MISDP
18

Semidefinite Relaxation Example

MISDP
19

Bonus result concerning solution

to the power flow equations
The existence of a power flow solution requires

Necessary, but not sufficient, condition for existence

Conversely, no solution exists if

Sufficient, but not necessary, condition for non-existence

20

Controlled Voltage Margin

A controlled voltage margin to the solvability
boundary

Upper bound (non-conservative)

No power flow solution exists for

Increasing the slack bus voltage (with proportional
increases in PV bus voltages) by at least
is required
for solution.

21

Power Injection Margin

Uniformly scaling all power injections scales

Uniformly scale power injections until

Corresponding gives a power flow voltage stability

margin in the direction of uniformly increasing power
injections at constant power factor.

indicates that no solution exists for the original

power flow problem
22

Power Injection Margin

The power injection margin answers the question
For a given voltage profile, by what factor can we
change our power injections (uniformly at all
buses) while still potentially having a solution?
Answer:

23

Examples
IEEE 14-Bus System
IEEE 118-Bus System
Tested many other systems and loadings

24

Controlled Voltage Margin

IEEE 14-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 5
1.1
1
0.9
0.8

V5

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Injection Multiplier
25

Power Injection Margin

IEEE 14-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 5
1.1
1
0.9
0.8

V5

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Injection Multiplier
26

IEEE 14 Bus System

Injection
Multiplier
1.000
2.000
3.000
4.000
4.010
4.020
4.030
4.040
4.050
4.055
4.056
4.057
4.058
4.059
4.060
4.061
4.062
4.063
4.064
4.065
5.000

NewtonRaphson
Converged?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No

dim(null(A)
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06
1.06

0.5261
0.7440
0.9112
1.0522
1.0535
1.0548
1.0561
1.0575
1.0588
1.0594
1.0595
1.0597
1.0598

1.0599
1.0601
1.0602
1.0603
1.0605
1.0606
1.0607
1.1764

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
27

Voltage Margin

28

Voltage and Power Injection Margins

IEEE 14-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 5
1.2

V5

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Injection Multiplier
29

Controlled Voltage Margin

IEEE 118-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 44

V44

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Injection Multiplier
30

Power Injection Margin

IEEE 118-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 44

V44

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Injection Multiplier
31

IEEE 118 Bus System

Injection
Multiplier

NewtonRaphson
Converged?

1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.15
3.16
3.17
3.18
3.19
3.20
3.21
3.22
3.23
3.24
3.25
3.26
3.27
3.28
3.29
4.00

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No

(lower bound)
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035
1.035

0.5724
0.7010
0.8095
0.9050
0.9914
1.0159
1.0175
1.0191
1.0207
1.0223
1.0239
1.0255
1.0271
1.0287
1.0303
1.0319
1.0335
1.0351
1.0366
1.0382
1.1448

dim(null(A)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
32

Voltage Margin
IEEE 118 Bus System

33

Voltage and Power Injection Margins

IEEE 118-Bus Continuation Trace: Bus 44
1.2

V44

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Injection Multiplier
34

Alternate Power Injection Profiles

Power injection margin is in the direction of a uniform,
constant-power-factor injection profile
We can alternatively specify any profile that is a linear
function of powers and squared voltages
However, insolvability condition

is not necessarily valid

35

Reactive Power Limits

Previous work models generators
as ideal voltage sources

Limit-induced bifurcations

Two approaches to
modeling these limits:

Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Q

max

Reactive Power

Detailed models limit

reactive outputs

min

Mixed-integer semidefinite
programming

V
Voltage Magnitude

Infeasibility certificates using sum

of squares programming
36

MISDP Formulation
Model reactive power limits using binary variables
Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Reactive Power

Qmax

Qmin

V
Voltage Magnitude

Insolvability
37

MISDP Formulation
Model reactive power limits using binary variables
Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Reactive Power

Qmax

Qmin

V
Voltage Magnitude

Insolvability
38

MISDP Formulation
Model reactive power limits using binary variables
Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Reactive Power

Qmax

Qmin

V
Voltage Magnitude

Insolvability
39

MISDP Formulation
Model reactive power limits using binary variables
Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Reactive Power

Qmax

Qmin

V
Voltage Magnitude

Insolvability
40

Reactive Power Limits Results

14-Bus System Power vs. Voltage
1.025
1.02
1.015

V5

1.01
1.005
1
0.995

P-V Curve

max

0.99
0.985

Infeasibility Certificate Found

1

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

PQ Bus Injection Multiplier

41

Conclusions
Cast the problem of computing voltage stability margins as
an optimization problem to minimize the slack bus voltage.
Calculated voltage stability margins power injection/flows,
and controlled voltages.
Tested with numerical examples
Advantages:
Eliminates repeated solution (multiple power flows,
continuation power flows)
Often offers provably globally optimal results
Works when the margin is negative, i.e. when there isnt a
solution.
42

Related Publications
[1]

B.C. Lesieutre, D.K. Molzahn, A.R. Borden, and C.L. DeMarco, Examining the Limits of the
Application of Semidefinite Programming to Power Flow Problems, 49th Annual Allerton
Conference on Communication, Control, and Computing (Allerton), 2011, pp.1492-1499, 28-30
Sept. 2011.

[2]

D.K. Molzahn, J.T. Holzer, and B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, Implementation of a LargeScale Optimal Power Flow Solver Based on Semidefinite Programming, To appear in IEEE
Transactions on Power Systems.

[3]

D.K. Molzahn, B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, An Approximate Method for Modeling ZIP
Loads in a Semidefinite Relaxation of the OPF Problem, submitted to IEEE Transactions on
Power Systems, Letters.

[4]

D.K. Molzahn, B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, "A Sufficient Condition for Global Optimality of
Solutions to the Optimal Power Flow Problem, to appear in IEEE Transactions on Power
Systems, Letters.

[5]

D.K. Molzahn, B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, A Sufficient Condition for Power Flow
Insolvability with Applications to Voltage Stability Margins, IEEE Transactions on Power
Systems, Vol 28, No. 3, pp. 2592-2601.

[6]

D.K. Molzahn, V. Dawar, B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, Sufficient Conditions for Power
Flow Insolvability Considering Reactive Power Limited Generators with Applications to Voltage
Stability Margins, presented at Bulk Power System Dynamics and Control - IX. Optimization,
Security and Control of the Emerging Power Grid, 2013 IREP Symposium, 25-30 Aug. 2013.

D.K. Molzahn, B.C. Lesieutre, and C.L. DeMarco, Investigation of Non-Zero Duality Gap
Solutions to a Semidefinite Relaxation of the Power Flow Equations, To be presented at the
ConclusionHawaii International Conference on System Sciences, January 2014.
[7]

43

Questions?

44

Extra Slides: Feasibility

45

Feasibility
For lossless systems:
1. Show a solution exists for zero power injections at
PQ buses and zero active power injection at PV
buses, for = 1.
2. Use implicit function theorem to argue that
perturbations to zero power injections solutions also
exist. Specifically choose one in the direction of
desired power injection profile.
3. Exploit the quadratic nature of power flow equations
to scale voltages and power to match injection profile.

46

Feasibility: Zero Power Injection

Solution
Easy: Construct a solution.
Open Circuit PQ buses for zero power, zero
current injection.
Use Ward-type reduction to eliminate PQ buses.
(not really necessary, but clean) small print
Choose uniform angle solution for all buses.
Directly use reactive power flow equation to
calculated the reactive power injections at
generator buses.
0
0
0

47

Note: Zero Power Injection Solutions for

Lossy Systems
Not all systems have a zero-power injection solution

Ability to choose such that PPV = 0 depends on

Ratio of VPV to Vslack

Ratio of g to b

Systems with small resistances and small voltage magnitude

differences are expected to have a zero power injection solution
48

Nearby Solutions
A nearby non-zero solution exists

provided the Jacobian is nonsingular. For a connected

lossless system at the zero-power injection solution,
the appropriate Jacobian is nonsingular, generically.
small print

49

Feasible Solution
Exploit the quadratic nature of power flow
equations to scale voltages to match desired
power profile:

50

Extra Slides: Infeasibility Certificates

51

Infeasibility Certificates
Guarantee that a system of polynomial is infeasible

Positivstellensatz Theorem

If

such that
then the system of polynomials has no solution
52

Power Flow in Polynomial Form

Power Injection and Voltage Magnitude Polynomials

Reactive Power versus Voltage Magnitude Characteristic

Qmax

Reactive Power

Reactive Power Limit Polynomials

Qmin
0

V
Voltage Magnitude
53

Power Flow Infeasibility Certificates

Find a sum of squares polynomial of the form

such that

by finding polynomials
and sum of squares polynomials
Then the power flow equations have no solution.
54