Panel Session: Integrated Transmission and Distribution Real-Time Analysis for Monitoring and Control (slides)

The US electric grid is facing operational, stability, and security challenges. Transmission system operators need visibility into distribution system renewable generation. Distribution system generation needs to support transmission system voltage. The grid is experiencing an expansion in measurement systems. How to take full advantage of this expansion and defend against attacks, both cyber and physical, poses additional challenges. This panel introduces a system designed to meet these challenges. At the center of the system is an Integrated System Model (ISM) that spans from transmission to secondary distribution. The ISM is employed in real-time abnormality detection, voltage stability forecasting, and hierarchical, multi-mode, coordinated control. The system architecture along with selected analysis modules are discussed. Testing results are presented for:
1 - attacks on utility infrastructure
2 - energy savings from optimal control
3 - distribution system control response during low voltage transmission system events
4 - cyber-attacks on PV inverters, where physical inverters are used in hardware-in-the-simulation loop experiments.

Panelists will share findings concerning the ability of the ISM-centric approach to detect abnormalities and provide economic benefits. The presentation will consider how coordinated control helps prevent inverter oscillations and will highlight EDD's coordination with the University of Delaware's Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC), demonstrating how the model has been employed in real-time abnormality detection at the IEC's hardware-in-the-loop lab. Panelists will also speak about a novel approach to minute-by-minute solar forecasting, and how it improves control of feeders with PV generation. Finally, panelists will discuss the coordination of the many sources of data needed to support the ISM analysis and introduce upcoming field tests of the ISM-centric system at Pepco.