Power System Stability and

Control

1 General Background

Outline
Structure of a power system
Introduction of power system stability (basic concepts,
definitions and examples)

1st 100 Years of Electric Industry

1882: Pearl Street Station, the 1st DC system by Edison, operated in NYC
1886: Commercially practical transformer and AC distribution system
developed by Stanley
1888: Development of poly-phase AC by Tesla started AC vs. DC
battle
1889: 1st AC transmission line in the US (1-phase, 21km at 4kV in
Oregon)
1893: 1st 3-phase line (2.3kV, 12 km by SCE) in North America; AC vs.
DC battle ended when AC was chosen at Niagara Falls.
1912-1923: 1st 110kV and 220kV HVAC overhead lines
1950s: 345kV-400kV EHV AC lines by USA, Germany and Sweden
1954: 1st modern commercial HVDC transmission (96km submarine
cable) in Sweden.
1960s: 735-765kV EHV AC in Russia, USA and Canada
1972: 1st thyristor based HVDC Back-To-Back system between Quebec
and New Brunswick in Canada
3

Structure of an AC Power System

Generation
Low voltages <25kV due
to insulation
requirements

Transmission system
Backbone system
interconnecting major
power plants (11~33kV)
and load center areas
132kV, 220kV, 345kV,
500kV,
765kV, etc.

Sub-transmission system
Transmitting power
to distribution
systems
Typically, 33/66kV132kV

Distribution system

PURPOSE OF TRANS. STAB. STUDY

To predict ability of gen.
To recover and remain connected to power
system after a fault.
To assess interaction of gens and other rotating
plant (WTG) connected to network after fault.
To ensure minimum voltage disturbance due to
loss of synchronism

Bulk Power System (Bulk Electric System)

Definition
The bulk electric system is a term commonly applied to the portion
of an electric utility system that integrates the electrical
generation resources, transmission lines, interconnections
with neighboring systems, and associated equipment.
Radial transmission facilities serving only load with one
transmission source are generally not included in this
definition
For short, a bulk electric system is the part of the
transmission/sub- transmission system connecting
power plants,
major substations, and
HV transmission lines

Reliable Electric Power Supply

Requirements under both normal and
emergency conditions
Voltage and frequency control around normal
values within close tolerances
Generators running synchronously with adequate
capacity to meet the load demand
The integrity of the bulk power network

Reliability of Bulk Power Systems

From both Planning and Operations perspectives:
Power systems should be built and operated to achieve a reliable
electric power supply at the most economical cost

Reliability is defined using two terms:

Adequacy (planning): The ability of the electric systems to
supply the aggregate electrical demand and energy requirements of
their customers at all times, taking into account scheduled and
reasonably expected unscheduled outages of system elements.

Security (operation): The ability of the electric systems to

withstand sudden disturbances, i.e. contingencies, such as
electric short circuits or unanticipated loss of system
elements.
8

How are reliability standards used?

In Planning:
Reliability standards should never be
violated in designing the system.
In Operations:
Reliability standards should never
be intentionally violated
Sometimes, violations occur due to misoperations or delayed awareness of the realtime situation

Related Terms-Definations
Operating quantities: Physical quantities (measured
or calculated) that can be used to describe the
operating conditions of a power system, e.g.
real,
reactive and
apparent powers,
RMS values/phasors of alternating voltages and
currents.
Steady-state operating condition of a power system: An
operating condition of a power system in which all the
operating quantities that characterize it can be considered
to be constant for the purpose of analysis.
10

 In designing and operating an interconnected power

system, its dynamic performance subjected to changes
(i.e. contingencies, small or large) is considered
It is important that when the changes are completed, the
system settles to new operating conditions without
violation of constraints.
In other words, not only should the new operating
conditions be acceptable (as revealed by steady-state
analysis) but also the system must survive the transition
to those new conditions. This requires dynamic analysis.

11

 Disturbance: a sudden change or a sequence of changes in one

or more parameters or operating quantities of the power system
i.e. real,
reactive and
apparent powers,
P()
RMS values/phasors of alternating voltages and
currents

Small and large disturbances

a small disturbance if the equations
describing the dynamics of the system
may be linearized for the purpose of
accurate analysis, e.g. a load change
P

a large disturbance if the equations that

describe the dynamics of the system
cannot be linearized for the purpose of
accurate analysis, e.g. a short circuit
and loss of a generator or load.
12

Related Terms (contd)

Synchronous operation:
A machine is in synchronous operation with another
machine or a network to which it is connected if its average
electrical speed (= rP/2) is equal to the electric speed of the
other machine or the angular frequency of the ac network.
A power system is in synchronous operation if all its
connected synchronous machines are in synchronous
operation with the ac network and with each other.

Asynchronous operation: loss of synchronization or

out of step

13

Stability of linear dynamical systems

Stability of linear dynamical systems can
be determined from poles/eigen values.
Complicated sounding terms like eigen
values and determinant can be derived
from algebra alone.
Stability of nonlinear dynamical systems
can be locally evaluated using eigen
values.

Definitions

Synchronous Operation:
Synchronous Operation of a Machine: A
machine is in synchronous operation with a
network or another machine(s) to which it is
connected if its average electrical speed
(product of its rotor angular velocity and the
number of pole pairs) equals the angular
frequency of the ac network or the electrical
speed of the other machine(s).
Synchronous Operation of a Power System: A
power system is in synchronous operation if all
its connected synchronous machines are in
synchronous operation with the ac network
and with each other.
15

Definitions
Asynchronous or nonsynchronous operation:
Asynchronous Operation of a Machine: A machine
is in asynchronous operation with a network or another
machine to which it is connected if it is not in
synchronous operation.
Asynchronous Operation of a Power System: A
power system is in asynchronous operation if one or
more of its connected synchronous machines are in
asynchronous operation.
Hunting of a Machine: A machine is hunting if any of its
operating quantities experience sustained oscillations.
16

What will your system do?

(according to eigenvalues

What will your system do?

(according to eigenvalues

Exponential decay (Stable)

Decay w/ oscillation (Stable)
All s are real and
negative/
Critically/overdamped

All s have negative

real parts, some
imaginary parts
Underdamped

Stable oscillation
All s have zero real
parts and nonzero
imaginary parts/
Undamped

Exponential increase (unstable)

Increase w/ oscillation (unstable)
All s are real and at
least one positive

At least one has positive

real parts, some
imaginary parts

Power System Stability

Power system stability is the ability of a power system, for a given
initial operating condition, to regain an acceptable state of
operating equilibrium (i.e. the new condition) after being subjected
to a disturbance
Considering an interconnected power system as a whole
The stability problem with a multi-machine power system is
mainly to maintain synchronous operation of the machines
(generators or motors)
Considering parts of the system
A particular generator or group of generators may lose
stability (synchronism) without cascading instability of the
main system.
Motors in particular loads may lose stability (run down and
stall) without cascading instability of the main system.
19

Stability Classification
IEEE/CIGRE Joint Task Force on Stability Terms and Definitions, Definition and
Classification of Power System Stability, IEEE Trans. on Power Systems, Vol.19, No.2.,
pp. 1387-1401, May 2004.

The classification of power system stability considers:

The physical nature of the resulting mode of instability as indicated
by the main system variable (angle, frequency or voltage) in which
instability can be observed.
The size of the disturbance (small or large disturbance) considered,
which influences the method of calculation and prediction of
stability.
The devices, processes and time span that must be taken into
consideration in order to assess stability. Typical ranges of
time periods
Transient or short-term: 0-10s
Mid-term: 10s to several minutes
Long-term: several to tens of minutes
20

Stability Classification

Physical nature

Disturbance size

Time span

21

DEFINITION OF STABILITY
STEADY STATE STABILITY - Ability of Pow. Sys. to remain
stable after a small disturbance e.g load disturbance,
switching.
TRANSIENT STABILITY ability of Pow. Sys. to maintain
synchronism after a severe transient disturbance. E.g. Short
Circuits, loss of load or Gen.

STABILITY CHALLENGES

CAUSES
SHORT CIRCUITS

CONSEQUENCES
AREA WIDE BLACK OUT

LOSS OF TIE LINES IN UTILITY

NETWORK

INTERRUPTION OF LOAD

LOSS OF GENERATION

UNDER VOLTAGE CONDITION

SWITCHING OPERATIONS OF LINES,

CAPACITORS ETC.

DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT

SUDDEN LARGE STEP CHANGE OF

GENERATION

RELAY AND PROTECTIVE DEVICE

MALFUNCTION

System Dynamic Performance

In designing and operating the interconnected power network,

system dynamic performance is taken into account because:
The power system is subjected to changes (small and large).
It is important that when the changes are completed, the
system settles to new operating conditions such that no
constraints are violated.
Not only should the new operating conditions be acceptable (as
revealed by steady-state analysis) but also the system must
survive the transition to these conditions. This requires
dynamic analysis.
THE KEY IS THAT THE GENERATORS CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN
SYNCHRONISM, OR NOT TO LOSE SYNCHRONISM OR NOT TO GO OUT OF
STEP. THIS IS THE PROBLEM OF

POWER SYSTEM STABILITY

24

Voltage Stability
It refers to the ability of a power
system
to
maintain
steady
voltages at all buses in the system
after
being
subjected
to
a
disturbance.
Instability may result in the form of
a progressive fall or rise of
voltages of some buses.
25

Voltage Stability Cont

Possible outcomes of this
instability :
Loss of load in an area
Tripping of lines and other elements
leading to cascading outages
Loss of synchronism of some generators
may result from these outages or from
operating condition that violate field
current limit
26

Voltage Stability Cont..

Driving Force for
(usually loads):

Voltage

instability

The power consumed by the loads is

restored by
Distribution Voltage regulators
Tap-changing transformers
A run down situation causing voltage
instability occurs when the load dynamics
attempt to restore power consumption
beyond the capability of the transmission
network and the connected generation
27

Voltage Stability Cont..

It involves: Small and Large
disturbance as well as Short Term
and Long Term time scales
Short Term: Involves fast acting load
components : induction motors,
Electronically controlled loads , HVDC
converters
Short circuits near loads are important
28

Voltage Stability Cont..

Long Term:
Involves slow acting equipment:
Tap changing transformers
Thermostatically controlled loads
e.g. heaters
Generator current limiters
Instability is due to the loss of longterm equilibrium
In many cases static analysis can be
used
For timing of control Quasi-steadystate time domain simulation
is
29
recommended

Five
Two
Three
Four
One
Six
No lights
lights
lights
light
lights
lights
on
on
on
on
on
20
23
24
25
14
24
0 Watts
Watts
Wattstotal
total
total
(room
(some
(room
(roomgets
gets
light
is dark)
brighter)
darker)
in room)
Voltage
Voltage
Voltagedrops
drops
is normal
more
some
more

31

Homework #1
Learn the IEEE paper Definition and Classification of Power System Stability
Select 1 journal paper published by IEEE or any HEC recognized journal since
2010 that introduces or addresses some stability problems on power systems
Source: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org
or http://scholar.google.com
Keywords: e.g. power system + stability
Write a 1-2 pages essay :
Title, authors, source of the paper
Background:
What stability problem is concerned? (Which IEEE categories?)
Why is the problem significant? (Any real-world stories?)
In which aspect(s) was the problem not addressed well in earlier literature?
Approach
What new approach is proposed? (Outline of the procedure or steps)
Any key techniques are applied by the approach?
How does the new approach perform?
Remark
Any conclusions from the work, or any room for further work

Give a 3-5 minutes talk on your chosen paper and hand in your essay hard copy
in the class of Mar 26 (Saturday). Please email me the paper title by Mar 19
(Wed.) at <m.ejaz.hasan@gmail.com>
32

Rotor Angle Stability

Rotor Angle Stability refers to the ability of synchronous
machines of an interconnected power system to remain in
synchronism after being subjected to a disturbance.
Phenomenon: increasing angular swings of some generators
leading to their loss of synchronism with others.

33

Rotor Angle Stability (contd)

Rotor angle stability depends on the ability to maintain/restore
equilibrium between electromagnetic torque (TE) and
mechanical torque (TM) of each synchronous machine in the
system.
A fundamental factor in this problem is the manner in which the
power outputs of synchronous machines vary as their rotor angles
change (Power vs. Rotor angle)

34

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
Power and Torque

EA=V+IaRa +jXS Ia

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
Power and Torque
Real elect. output power of syn. Gen.
in line to line Voltage quantities:
Pout=3 VL IL cos
in Phase to Neutral i.e. Single phase Voltage quantities:
Pout=3 V IA cos
reactive power output:
Qout=3 VT IL sin
Qout= 3 V IA sin

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
Power and Torque
EA=V+IARA +jXS IA
EA=V +jXS IA

P=3 V IA cos
The vertical segment bc is EA sin = XS IA cos

IA cos = EA sin / XS
Substituting this in equation of Pout
P = 3V EA sin / XS

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
Power and Torque
Pe=3 V IA cos
The vertical segment bc is EA sin or XS IA cos

IA cos = EA sin / XS
Substituting this in equation of Pout
Pe = 3V EA sin / XS
since resistances assumed zero, losses not included in this
equation (& it is both Pconv ,Pout)
Above equation shows power produced by a Syn. Gen.
depends on angle (between V,EA), the torque angle
Maximum power that Gen. can supply occurs when =90.
At this angle sin=1
Pemax=3V EA / XS

SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
Power and Torque
Maximum power in last equation called static stability limit of
Gen.
Real or practical Gen. never get close to this limit
If V assumed constant, real power output directly proportional to
IA cos and EA sin
These are useful for plotting phasor diagram of Syn. Gen. as load
changes

Rotor Angle Stability (contd)

V0

EV
sin
3
P3
Xs

EV
e
3 sin
T
Xs
3

Te (P3)

Ta=Tm-Te<0
(decelerates)

Steady-state limit:

Unstable

Tm

Pmax(3 )

Te,max

Ta=Tm-Te>0
(accelerates)

EV
Small
disturbance

Xs

EV

40

Large
disturbance

Small signal stability

Small-disturbance angle stability or small signal stability
is the ability of a power system to maintain
synchronism under small disturbances.
The disturbances are considered to be sufficiently
small that linearization of system equations is
permissible for purposes of analysis
Small signal stability depends on the initial operating
state of the system (eigenvalues of the linearized
system at the state).
In todays power systems, the small-signal stability
problem is usually associated with insufficient damping
of oscillations
41

Small signal stability (contd)

Small signal stability problems may be either
local or global in nature.
Local plant mode oscillations (at 0.7~2.0Hz): oscillations of a
small part of the power system (typically, a single power
plant) against the rest of the system
Inter-area mode oscillations (at 0.1~0.7Hz): oscillations of a
group of generators against the rest of the system

The time frame of interest is 10 to 20 seconds

following a disturbance. However, oscillations may
last several minutes

42

Transient Stability
Large-disturbance angle stability or transient stability is
concerned with the ability of the power system to maintain
synchronism when subjected to a severe disturbance, e.g. a
short circuit on a transmission line.
The resulting
system response involves large
excursions of generator rotor angles and is influenced by
the nonlinear power-angle relationship.
Transient stability depends on both the initial operating
state of the system and the severity of the
disturbance.

43

Transient Stability (contd)

Transient instability is usually in the form of aperiodic
angular separation, which is often referred to as first
swing instability.
However, in large power systems, transient instability may
occur after multiple swings as a result of, e.g.,
superposition of multiple oscillation modes.
The time frame of interest in transient stability studies is
usually 3 to 5 seconds following the disturbance. It may
extend to 10-20 seconds (to observe a number of swings)
for very large systems with dominant inter-area
oscillations.
44

Dynamic Stability
The term dynamic stability also appears in the literature
as a class of rotor angle stability.
In the North American literature, it has been used
mostly to denote small signal stability.
In the European literature, it has been used to denote
transient stability.
IEEE have recommended that it should not be used.

45

Five
Two
Three
Four
One
Six
No lights
lights
lights
light
lights
lights
on
on
on
on
on
20
23
24
25
14
24
0 Watts
Watts
Wattstotal
total
total
(room
(some
(room
(roomgets
gets
light
is dark)
brighter)
darker)
in room)
Voltage
Voltage
Voltagedrops
drops
is normal
more
some
more

Voltage Stability
Voltage stability refers to the ability of a power system to
maintain steady voltages at all buses in the system after being
subjected to a disturbance from a given initial operating
condition.
It depends on the ability to maintain/restore equilibrium
between load demand and supply
In order words, it depends on the ability to maintain bus
voltages so that when the system nominal load at a bus is
increased, the real power transferred to that load will
increase.

47

Voltage Stability (contd)

The term voltage collapse is also often used. It is the
process by which the sequence of events
accompanying voltage instability leads to a blackout or
abnormally low voltages in a significant part of the
power system.

48

Voltage Stability (contd)

Small-disturbance voltage stability
ability to maintain steady voltages when subjected to
small perturbations such as incremental changes in
system load.
studies using linearized models for sensitivity
analysis

Large-disturbance voltage stability

ability to maintain steady voltages following large
disturbances such as system faults, loss of generation, or
circuit contingencies.
studied using nonlinear models on involved devices, e.g.
motors, transformer tap changers, generator field-current
limiters, etc.
49

Voltage Stability (contd)

Short-term voltage stability
involves dynamics of fast acting load components, e.g.
induction motors, electronically controlled loads and
HVDC convertors.
The study period of interest is in the order of several
seconds
requires solution of appropriate system differential
equations

Long-term voltage stability

involves slower acting equipment, e.g. tap-changing
transformers, thermostatically controlled loads, and
generator current limiters.
the study period of interest may extend to several or many
minutes
requires long-term simulations
50

B. Gao, et al, Towards the development of a systematic approach for voltage stability assessment
of large-scale power systems, IEEE Trans. Power Systems, Vol. 11 No. 3 Aug. 1996

51

System Operation
Establish most economical operating conditions under
normal circumstances
Operate the system such that if an unscheduled event occurs, it
does not result in uncontrolled (or cascading) outages
Establish Safe Operating Limits for all situations
Meet reliability criteria
Voltage limits
Line and component loading limits (thermal limits)
Stability
Dynamic performance

52

System Stability Studies

Types

Approach

Purposes

Small
signal
stability

Using linear system analysis

tools to study the modal system
response to a small disturbance.
Details on the disturbance may
not be important

Transient Using nonlinear system analysis

stability
tools to study the system
response to a large disturbance.
Traditionally using time-domain
simulation to track the evolution
of system states and parameters
during the transient period.
Every study is for a completely
specified disturbance scenario
including the pre-disturbance
system condition and
disturbance sequence (any
change requires a new study)

53

Obtain safe operating limits and guidelines

Identify poorly damped modes of
oscillation
Setting of controls (e.g., exciters, power
system stabilizers)
New generation studies (to meet reliability
criteria at the least cost)
Transmission planning studies (to analyze
plans for future transmission expansion,
and to meet reliability criteria)
Operations planning studies (to check if a
given system configuration or operations
schedule meets reliability criteria)
Special control to maintain stability (e.g.,
generation tripping, load shedding, etc.)
Severe disturbance (extreme contingency)
studies
Special purpose studies (e.g., system
blackstart or restoration plan, etc.)

Trends
Fewer HV transmission lines built due to cost and
environmental concerns
Heavier use of some power plants away from load centers
due to conservation of oil and natural gas
Heavier loading of HV transmission due to growing electricity
markets under the open transmission access environment
Generation trends have become more stability-conscious

Lower inertia
Higher short circuit ratio
More dependence on controls (e.g. excitation control)
Large concentration of generation

More power electronics based resources, e.g. renewables

(intermittent) may alter the basic inertial response

Effects of HVDC systems and solid state electronic devices

(e.g. flexible ac transmission systems, or FACTS)
54

Structure of a Power System

and Associated Controls

55