Project Directory

The Real-Time Voltage Security Assessment (RTVSA) project was designed to be part of the suite of advanced computational tools for congestion management that is slated for practical applications in California. Modern voltage assessment methods include the development of such advanced functions as identification of weak elements, automatic selection of remedial actions and automatic development of composite operating nomograms and security regions.

This project was designed to develop and test advanced prototype applications on the Real-Time Dynamic Monitoring System (RTDMS) platform to provide dispatchers and reliability coordinators with a unified wide-area grid monitoring visualization capability that provides dispatchers and reliability coordinators an instant visual snapshot of key system metrics. 

The purpose of this study was to determine the best way to incorporate “proxy-limits” in a DCOPF to preserve features of the solution of a more detailed ACOPF.  Specific voltage and stability limits cannot be directly represented in a DCOPF and are indirectly included as line flow limits.  This research sets out to determine the best way to set proxy limits to preserve the dispatch and prices of the ACOPF, in a DCOPF representation.

The goal of the proposed research work is to develop a universally accepted test plan that would support the DOE and NIST efforts for phasor measurement and testing. 

The scope of the project was to develop strategies to achieve the co-benefits of maintaining power systems reliability and protecting public health (from air pollution) during high electricity demand days (HEDDs). HEDDs are typically hot summer days when the demand for electricity is highest and the atmosphere is conductive to pollution formation such as ozone. Meeting high electricity demand during HEDDs requires dispatch of all generation resources, and demand response programs often lead to firing up of diesel backup generators.

This project provides research and technical support to the NERC Reliability Standards Drafting Teams (SDT) and Reliability Subcommittees, Resource Subcommittee, and RS-Frequency Working Group to identify and quantify reliability performance issues and trends, and assist in drafting and field testing and deploying reliability standards that improve situational awareness and system reliability. This work aims to provide technology solutions that address critical reliability issues, and improve load-generation control, reserves adequacy, and reliability performance.

DOE's 2002 National Transmission Grid Study recommended that DOE undertake designation of national interest transmission bottlenecks (NITB).  This project supported DOE in that process by assessing and addressing gaps in current methods, approaches, and data needed to make these designations. This project initiated research needed to address the limitations of available approaches toward improving future designations by DOE.  

This project is enhancing algorithms for use in a mode meter that will detect, analyze, and potentially help localize forced oscillations in a power system. It also supports BPA in conducting probing tests for modal analysis in the Western Interconnection.

This research is aimed at the development of understanding and algorithms that form the basis for real-time operations and control.  Research will be conducted with the goals of (1) developing a better understanding of forced oscillations; and, (2) to compare the most recent mode-meter estimation algorithms.  

Devices called Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) report the values of (for example) amplitude, frequency and phase of the power system. These parameters describe a mathematical entity called a phasor.  But the power system quantities are not phasors—they are 'phasor-like.' Their frequency and amplitude are not constant, and constant parameters are a requirement of a phasor. Further, the word phase is not even defined as a parameter relating two signals of different frequencies, and yet that is a required output of a PMU.

Market power gives certain market participants the ability to manipulate the market to their advantage.  In our research we identify resources which have the potential for market power either individually or within a small group based on sensitivity information that can be obtained from an optimal power flow.  Specifically we cluster generators with the ability to adjust prices without affecting dispatch, potentially enabling them to set prices.  This project was designed to develop and demonstrate robust algorithms that can be applied to ISO-scale systems.

This research aims to develop novel algorithmic tools to efficiently manage the variability that renewable energy resources bring to bear on power system operations at scale. Specifically, this work aims to (1) develop distributionally robust control algorithms to enable the near-optimal dispatch of uncertain power networks; and (2) design stochastic market clearing mechanisms to provide a competitive medium through which renewable power producers can sell their variable supply on equal footing with conventional power producers and flexible demand.