Wide area measurement based out-of-step detection technique

Abstract

The electrical power systems function as a huge interconnected network dispersed over a large area. A balance exist between generated and consumed power, any disturbance to this balance in the system caused due to change in load as well as faults and their clearance often results in electromechanical oscillations. As a result there is variation in power flow between two areas. This phenomenon is referred as Power Swing. This paper uses PMU data to measure the currents and voltages of the three phases of two buses connected to a 400 kV line. The measured data is then used for differentiating between a swing or fault condition, and if a swing is detected, to predict whether the swing is a stable or an unstable one. The performance of the method has been tested on a simulated system using PSCAD and MATLAB software.