Robust Testing of Cascading Failure Mitigations Based on Power Dispatch and Quick-Start Storage

• Published in: IEEE systems journal 2018-12, Vol.12 (4), p.3063-3074
• Main Authors: Xu, Zhe, Julius, A. Agung, Chow, Joe H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blackout; Cascading failures; Computer simulation; Failure analysis; hybrid system; Hybrid systems; Power dispatch; Power system dynamics; Power system faults; Power system protection; Power system stability; quick-start storage; robust neighborhood; robust testing; Robustness; Safety; Schedules; Test procedures; Trajectories; Trajectory
• ISSN: 1932-8184; 1937-9234
• DOI: 10.1109/JSYST.2017.2686401

We present a formal robust testing method for power system cascading failure mitigations. The approach is model-based, using simulated trajectories of the system and proving that uncertainties, e.g., in the initial states or disturbances, do not perturb the trajectories beyond a robust neighborhood around them. We model power systems as hybrid systems with locations representing different swing dynamics and relay dynamics. We present implementations of our robust testing approach in a three-machine system model from the 2003 Italian Blackout and the IEEE 39-bus system model. We apply the robust testing method in two scenarios for averting the cascading failures: 1) robust testing of safety for various generator mechanical power dispatch schedules and 2) robust testing of safety for postfault remedial actions based on quick-start storage.