Model Approach to Avoid Secondary Collapse During

Step by Step Restoration of Power System Following a Total

Grid Collapse for a Real Utility
J K Das, Non-member
S P Chowdhury, Member
S Chowdhury, Non-member
S Choudhurii, Fellow
Restoring power system from partial or full outage stage to normal state is a crisis mode operation. For a partial outage case ,
knowledge based / expert system guidance technique1, 6 through simulation studies may be useful to develop a quick target
configuration for restoration, But, for a total power failure case it needs to follow a systematic approach to bring the system to
normalcy, sustaining the extreme pressure of unusual situation that arises. Any Error in this complex process may lead to a
secondary collapse and may jeopardize the already restored system. This paper describes a model and systematic bottom up
approach for restoration of a power system from a total grid collapse. A comparison has been done for total restoration time
between a simulated case and an actual case of restoration for a real utility.

Keywords : Bottom up approach; Black start units; DI–dead island; LI-live island; Load pick up restricted search; Secondary
collapse; Survival power; Start up power

INTRODUCTION network status knowledge2.

In an interconnected power system most of the total power
failures are initiated by sudden outage of a large generating
unit(s) or loss of any inter state / inter utility line(s) and / or
sudden large load throw, mal operation of protective relays,
cascaded remote end tripping during sustained fault in a
regional electricity pool where a number of individual utilities
act in an interconnected fashion. Followed by a major
disturbance excursions of system parameters may exceed the
stipulated limits and may initiate cascaded tripping. A careful
and wholesome restoration plan is described here to bring
the system back to normalcy by utilizing an utility’s own
black start resources after a total collapse situation.
POST DISTURBANCE ANALYSIS
Post disturbance analysis after a grid collapse is a vital start up
action and the trip information is collected from the existing
SCADA network supposed to be implemented within the
control area of a modern utility. Listing of Live Islands ( LI)
survived within the region and within the utility, if any, due
to under frequency isolation scheme or other, assessment of
the loads disconnected and Dead Island ( DI ) formed may
be done with the help of knowledge based system by using
J K Das, S P Chowdhury, S Chowdhury and S Choudhurii are with
the Department of Electrical Engineering, Jadavpur University,
Kolkata 700 032.
This paper (Re-modified) was received on December 27, 2004. Written
discussion on this paper will be received untill August 31, 2005.
ARRANGING BLACK START POWER
Survival Power/ Black Start Power for hot base units like
thermal / nuclear plants under outage within the utility shall
be arranged from the survived Live island , if any, and such
units within the utility shall be given the first preference for
restoration . So checking of excess generation reserve capacity
within the LIs shall be done. For all the LIs excess generation
reserve is given by

PGR = ∑  ∑ ( PGi − PDi − PL )
j ∈NLI i ∈N

+ ∑ ( PGBx − Psx ) (1)
x ∈NBS 
where PGi is the capacity of generators running within the
Lis; PDi, the loads in buses; PL , the losses; PGB is the generation
available from black start sources within a LI; PS is the starting
consumption for black start units; PGR, the total available black
start power from running Lis; NBS, the number of black
start units in a LI; and NLI is the number of LIs.
Next searching is done from the black–start type hydel / gas
turbine units within the other areas of the utility other than
the survived islands and the total spare generation available
for restoring of non-black start type base units is
PGST = PGR + ∑ ( PGBk − PSk )
(2)
k∈NBT − SNBS

4 IE(I) Journal-EL
NBT is the number of total black start units in the utility /
zone; and SNBS is the total BS units in all Lis = Σ NBSi
Once the availability of black start power is assessed the
next important step is to distribute the start up power among
the hot base load units qualified for restoration. Selection of
such units is done in the descending order of ‘ λ ’ to achieve
maximum utilization of start up power where
PGi
λi = (3)
t si × Psi
i ∈ M is the number of restorable units; PGi, the capacity for
ith unit selected for restoration; tsi, the time required for
synchronization of ith unit; and PSi, the starting consumption
of ith unit.
Start duration mainly depends upon the unit outage period
and to some extent upon the rating and type of unit . Where
possible outage units are to be boxed up immediately to
prevent loss of pressure and temperature of the boiler. Base
load stations should be provided with at least the survival
power which is required to maintain some critical auxiliary
plants on. Therefore, in order to increase spinning reserve in
survived system, if required some non priority loads should
be shed off and in any case loading on black start generators
should not cross 80 % of their individual capacities.
Starting consumption (Psi) is obtained from a non-linear
relationship
Psi = Pi {1 − exp( −αt oi )} + ∆Ps (4)
Pi is the cold start consumption; α , the co-efficient depends
upon type of boiler and turbine; and ∆ Ps, the survival power.
Time of Starting :
t si = t ci {1 − exp( −t ci / τ i )} + t syi (5)
tci is the cold start time for ith unit; τ i , the thermal time
constant for boiler and turbine for the unit; and tsyi is the
synchronization time for the ith unit.
System Status Determination
From the analysis of the post fault network topology a
knowledge base is formed 2 to show the status of the
Network which includes trip breaker information, live island
(LI) and dead island (DI) details of the post disturbance
network.
LIs, which has the sparable reserves are listed. Similarly for
the DIs – which contain sources of Black start Power, haulage
of cranking power is arranged as a part of bottom up
approach. Once the black start units are built up sufficiently
they are synchronized to the existing live parts, if any, to
form a larger inertia system.
Vol 86, June 2005
Tie line assistance3 which is also an important build down
strategy for haulage of start up power has not been considered
for the present case.
DISTRIBUTION OF START UP POWER
After the priority order according to descending values of
‘ λ ’, is generated, the next important task is to distribute start
up power to the targeted units in an optimum manner so
that the haulage path length is minimum. During start-up phase
generally lower voltage level path is given preference and hence
the knowledge of those paths is essential and information
regarding the availability of particular section at that time be
made known to the concerned load dispatch center. However,
higher voltage level paths may also be used if the over voltage
levels during switching remain within permissible limit4.
Restricted Search Algorithm
A searching approach has been modeled with a restricted
entry of participating nodes. Minimum switching length from
object node to the goal node is determined. This is practically
a huge searching process and a total explicit enumeration can
lead to 2n combinations to be checked for n bus system1;
but this is quite impracticable for n > 10. Hence, it would be
desirable to have a procedure that would systematically
examine only a small subset of all possible combinations of
the basic variables before reaching to an optimal solution
and operator’s heuristic is taken as basic input where all the
macro infeasible solutions are excluded and an implicit
enumeration is done. For a medium, sized utility, even for
the feasible paths if the number of stages increase beyond 10
then that solution is discarded. From object node to goal
node all feasible paths are taken as unidirectional.
Mathematical Formulation
An object function is defined as
P{x1, x2, x3, …, xn}= Path Length from allocating xi nodes
available to the activity.
where i ∈ n . . . . number of nodes known as free variables.
di (xi)k= Goal node , for stage k = 1, 2 …for object
node xi.
i ∈n − 1 – number of nodes (i = 1 for object node)
fi (xi, di)k = Feasible Path length for stage k = 1, 2, ….., for
object node xi and goal node di at any stage k.
Now, for path lengths in all the stages reaching to a feasible
solution only, optimum solution is obtained by finding
minimum path length obtained for a particular set of free
variables,
ie, P {x1, x2, x3, ….., xn}= min [ Σ fk (xk, dk)j ] (6)
k = 1, 2, 3, …, No of Stages
j = Path Nos 1, 2, 3, …
5
Black start power can be distributed among the hot base KD is typically considered as 2% - 3% .
units through least switching path to prevent over voltage
Considering generator load pick rate as KGi MW/min for ith
during switching and long haulage of Power.
generator then for load pick up time t min.
As the tripped generators are brought back in a controlled
manner by maximum utilization of black start power, they ∆PG − ∑ K Gi t
(10)
are synchronized with each other to form larger Island of i ∈n
greater resilience thereby minimizing the chances of secondary
2H eq
collapse . If τ ps = = Power system time constant and power
KD f0
LOAD PICK UP AND FREQUENCY EXCURSION
system gain Gps = 1/KD ,
The same restricted search process is used during load pick
up stages also when sufficient loading margin is established ∴ From equation (8)
for the base units after elapsing critical start up time subject
to certain constraints :
f 0 ( ΣK Gi ) t PD f 0 PD K D δ f f 0
∴ − −
Frequency excursions ( 50 hz ± 3 % ) to be kept within limit 2 H eq 2 H eq 2 H eq
to prevent the chance of secondary collapse, ie, f0 – ∆f ≤ d
= (δ f ) (11)
f ≤ f 0 + ∆f during load pick-up stage, f0 = base frequency dt
= 50 Hz.
Considering free governor action, ie, fixed speed changer 2H eq d
setting and a step change of Load within an island during ∑ K Gi t∆PD (1 + K D δt ) =
f 0 dt
(δ f )
i ∈n
load restoration phase, analysis of frequency excursion is
necessary to ascertain load pick up capability of the system. Rearranging equation (11)
For a step increase of load (PD) either may be during cranking
d P G ps
stage or load restoration phase, incoming generator rotors ∴ ( δf ) + D ( δf ) = [( ∑ K Gi ) t − PD ] (12)
initially decelerate. Now, with the set governor action steam dt τ ps τ ps
input increases and load pick up takes place and the generators
ramp up to share the load in proportion to their inertia Now, from equation (12) with initial condition δ f = 0, at
constant ; thus increasing the system frequency near to t = 0 equation (13) is obtained as below.
maximum set point.
Considering generator load modelling the change of G ps ( ∑ K Gi )  G ps ( ∑ K Gi ) τ ps G ps 
frequency ( δ f ) effected due to ramping of generators is ( δf ) = ×t − + 
PD  PD2 P 
related by the equation below  D 

 PD 
 τ ps t 
 2H eq   ∂( δf )  × 1 − e 
∆PG − ∆PD′ =  ×  (8)  
 f 0   ∂t   
− pt
The incremental power input to the system is utilized partially = Mt − N (1 − e ) (13)
to increase the KE of the rotor and partially to change the
where
frequency sensitive load. Now,
Thus, G ps ( ΣK Gi )  G( ΣK Gi ) τ ps G ps 
M= N = + 
PD  P 2 P 
∆PD′ = ∆PD + ∆PD K D δ f (9)  D D 

Where P 
p = D 
 τ ps 
∆PD  
KD = MW/HZ
δf As the turbine steam input increases available generators
continue load pick up action and when the specified load is
Constant relating change of load to change of frequency. met, rotor speed continues to increase due to inertia. Governor

6 IE(I) Journal-EL
action controls generator inertia. Thus the frequency comes Subject to constraints
back to set point.
(i) I ij ≤ I ij max link capacity constraints.
Once the load pick up level for any generator reaches to
maximum (to be decided by the operators) steam valves for Link current must be within respective maximum
that unit are set at that point and rest of the generators continue Limits.
load picking.
(ii) V I min ≤ V I ≤ VI max node voltage should not go
If, Req = equivalent regulation for all the machines and KD = beyond the permissible limits.
0.03 , frequency drop is calculated from equation (14) bleow
(iii) Generation capacity constraints - Any of the generators
for a step rise of load ∆PD . should not be overloaded, ie, PGi ≤ PG max i
Frequency limit ( f0 ± 3 % ) should not be violated at any
  stage of load pick-up.
 1 
 
∆f = − K + 1  × ∆PD (14) Equation (16) along with the constraints is implemented
D
 Req  through a load supply module in conjunction with restricted

  search module, a Newton Raphson polar co-ordinate load -
flow module for reduced networks, overload checking
Now frequency rise required δf = −∆f . Putting value of module, frequency excursion checking and a load shedding
module.
δ f in equation (13) gives
TEST RESULTS
∴ δ f = Mt − N ( 1 − e − pt ) (15) Step by step restoration has been simulated for a real Utility,
Solution for load pick time ‘t’ for the generators is obtained Damodar Valley Corporation ( DVC), Kolkata from a total
from above equation by Reguli and Falsi method. Total grid collapse scenario.
restoration time is obtained by adding up unit start up time The results are documented for record and future guidance
and the load pick up time. of the operating engineers .DVC System Data, ie, line data,
As the system grows to a bigger size with a number of bus data, and generator data along with grid map are shown
generators synchronized, equivalent system inertia H eq in Annexure I.
increases and τ ps also increases and the system becomes Restored generation against time (hrs) curve for the DVC
more stable and insensitive to small load changes . Therefore, system is drawn from the results thus obtained through the
the chance of secondary collapse is gradually minimized. simulation results and shown in Figure 1. Restored Generation
Load Restoration Phase against Hrs curve as obtained for an actual restoration
scenario5 is shown in Figure 2 for a total outage case for
The load to be restored is maximized maintaining certain DVC grid occurred on 25.5.2000 at 21:11 hrs.
degree of Priority loads specific to the concerned utility.
Therefore, It is observed that systematic step by step method for

Objective function 2 00 0
1 80 0
R e sto re d G e ne ra tion , M W

1 60 0
 N  DI 

µ = min  ∑  ∑ PDki −  ∑ (1 − x ki )
1 40 0

  k∈NBDI 1 20 0
i =1  k∈NBDI i  i 1 00 0

 
8 00

× PDki  
6 00
(16)
  4 00
  2 00
0
where PDki is the loads in bus k in ith dead island; xki, the
1 .1

5 .3 1

5 .6 1
2 .0 3

2 .3 3
2 .1 8
1 .2

5.06

5.16

5.76

6.17

10 .8 0

percent shedding recommended for bus K in ith DI; NBDIi, T im e , h

the number of buses in ith DI; and NDI, the number of Figure 1 Restored generation (MW) against time (through
DIs. simulation)

Vol 86, June 2005 7

 1 40 0 EHV Lines.’ IEEE Transactions on Power Supply, vol 14, August 1999,
p 1121.
1 20 0
5. M M Adibi et al. ‘Freq Response of Prime Movers During Restoration.’
R e sto re d G e ne ra tio n , M W

1 00 0 IEEE Transactions on Power Supply, May 1999.

6. ‘Report of the Fact Finding Committee for Grid Disturbance.’ EREB,
8 00
Kolkata, August 2000.
6 00 7. J K Das, S P Choudhuri and S Chowdhury etc. ‘Complete Restoration
Plan for a Real Utility After a Total Grid Collapse.’ National Conference on
4 00 Elect Tech, India, nos I-4, 2004, pp 26-43.
2 00 8. J J Ancona. ‘A Frame Work for Power System Restoration Following a
Major Power Failure.’ IEEE Transactions on Power System, vol 10 , no 3,
0 August 1995.
18 .7 1
1 5 .6 3
2 .5 5

3 .9 8

4 .9 8

5 .8 6

1 4.27

1 4.27

1 9.12

27 .0 0
9. B E Gilett. ‘Introduction to Operation Research.’ Tata McGraw Hill
Publication.
T im e , h
10. V Venicov. ‘Optimal Operation Power Plants and Electric System.’
Figure 2 Restored generation (MW) against time graph (actual MIR Publishers, Moscow.
case)
ANNEXURE I

restoration as described can improve the restoration time by DVC DATA

a great margin from the actual restoration time . (A) Bus Data (P in MW, Q in MVAR)

CONCLUSION Sl Bus KV PG QG PL QL Remarks

1. CTPS 132 slack
A model restoration approach has been described and
2. Putki 132 0 0 127 60.96
simulated in this paper for a real utility. Comparison with 3. Pathdih 132 0 0 131 62.88
actual scenario6 shows that selection of non priority units 4. MGT 132 82 — 0.5 0.3 V C B Start
and also selection of arbitrary switching paths caused 5. Mhydel 132 60 — 30.5 14.6 V C B Start
enormous delay in restoration in an actual case. 6. K’dubi 132 0 0 46.8 22.46
Software coding has been done in a flexible manner in 7. Pncht 132 80 — 9.6 7.2 VC
Unix C so that it can act as a part of existing Energy 8. Kalyan 132 0 0 22.0 14.0
Management 9. Kalipahri 132 0 0 101 49.5
10. DTPS 132 140 — 18.0 8.64 VC
Software (EMS). Utmost care has been observed at each 11. Burdwan 132 0 — 73.8 35.4
step so that no parameter violation occur at any stage. Start 12. Belmuri 132 0 0 28.8 14.2
up power has been arranged from the utility’s own black 13. HWH 132 0 0 35 17
start resources. However , there is scope for using tie lines 14. Kolaghat 132 0 0 0.5 0.2 Tie Point
for haulage of start up power from neighboring system3. 15. Kharagpur 132 0 0 30 14.5
Modelling for optimum mixing of build down strategy and 16. Mosaboni 132 0 0 32 16.0
bottom up approach may be done as a future study. 17. JSR_132 132 0 0 109 63.0
18. Chandil 132 0 0 1.0 0.3 Tie Point
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 19. Gola 132 0 0 10.0 4.5
Authors are indebted to Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) 20. BTPS A 132 0 0 0 0
for granting kind permission to use DVC’s system data for 22. Barhi 132 0 0 60.0 35.0
study purpose. Shri J K Das is also grateful to Jadavpur 23. BTPS B 220 630 — 23.0 12.0 VC
University for allowing him to carry out necessary research 24. CTPS_220 220 240 — 17.0 9.5 VC
work at EE Dept. 25. Ramgarh 132 0.0 0 74.0 36.0
26. Patratu 132 0.0 0 5.0 3.0 Tie Point
REFERENCES 27. JSR_220 220 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Tie Point
1. T Nagata, H Sasaki and R Yokoyama. ‘Power System Restoration by 28. Purilia 132 0 0 1.0 1.0 Tie Point
Joint Usage of Expert System and Mathematical Programming Approach.’ 29. Kaly_220 220 0 0 5.0 3.0 Tie Point
IEEE Transactions on Power System, vol 10 , no 3, August 1995. 30. Mejia 220 630 — 25 12.0 VC
2. J K Das and Dr S P Chowdhury. ‘Development of Knowledge based 31. DTPS_220 220 210 — 17 8.0 VC
Algorithm for Restoration of a Typical Power System.’ Journal of The 32. Parulia 220 0 0 65 35.0 Tie Point
Institution of Engineers (India), vol 82, September 2001. 33. NK 132 0 0 21.2 12.0
3. K L Liou, C C Liu and R F Chu. ‘Tie Line Utilization During Power 34. CTPS_132 132 0 0 225 114
System Restoration.’ IEEE Transactions on Power Supply, Februaty 1995. 35. Ramknli 132 0 0 10 6
4. M M Adibi, R W Alexander and D P Milannicz. ‘Energizing High and 36. N ghat 132 0 0 14 7.5

8 IE(I) Journal-EL
(B) LINE DATA (pu with 100 MVA base)
Bus to Bus R x v/2 Bus to Bus R x v/2
1 2 0.0053 0.0134 0.024 13 14 0.026415 0.06938 0.02677
1 10 0.0579 0.1790 0.0707 14 15 0.0319 0.08138 0.03227
1 20 0.0142 0.0375 0.0148 15 16 0.0349 0.08738 0.03527
1 24 0.0 0.03606 0.0 16 17 0.0138 0.0474 0.017
1 28 0.0257 0.0677 0.0267 17 18 0.04057 0.10349 0.01026
1 34 0.0003 0.0009 0.0267 17 19 0.0578 0.1524 0.058
2 3 0.00431 0.0108 0.01032 17 27 0.0000 0.04740 0.000
2 36 0.012 0.045 0.0184 17 28 0.0353 0.0929 0.038
3 4 0.0115 0.0473 0.0190 18 19 0.07634 0.19498 0.01938
4 5 0.000461 0.001176 0.0004665 19 20 0.0161 0.0423 0.016
5 6 0.00532 0.014112 0.001349 19 25 0.0099 0.0315 0.012
5 7 0.01384 0.03447 0.00367 20 21 0.000323 0.000823 0.000326
5 8 0.000461 0.001176 0.000466 21 22 0.0371 0.0979 0.038
6 7 0.007837 0.01999 0.001982 21 23 0.00000 0.04806 0.000
7 35 0.0069 0.01786 0.00737 23 24 0.00272 0.1388 0.04098
8 9 0.011986 0.03058 0.01213 23 27 0.01155 0.0627 0.1921
8 29 0.00000 0.04806 0.0000 24 29 0.007225 0.03638 0.1588
9 10 0.01936 0.04392 0.01958 24 30 0.00999 0.04806 0.1558
10 11 0.03411 0.08703 0.0351 25 26 0.0138 0.0348 0.0130
10 31 0.0000 0.037853 0.000 26 33 0.000 0.0320 0.0040
11 12 0.02374 0.06056 0.0240 30 31 0.003682 0.018716 0.05673
12 13 0.02247 0.05739 0.0226 31 32 0.00187 0.009416 0.05634

C. Generator Data
Sl Generators Pgi, MW DPs Pi t, Hrs Heq , pu tci , Hrs tsyn , Hrs KGi , MW/Min
No (available Gen) (survival (Cold Start Generator
Power) MW Power) MW Ramping Rate
1 BTPS -A 40 0.18 10 6 7 8 0.2 10
2 BTPS -B 630 6 60 7 4.5 10 0.2 10
(3×210) (3×2) (3×20)
3 CTPS 200 0.195 28.2 6 6 10 0.2 10
4 DTPS 350 0.2 35 5 4 8 0.2 10
(1×140+1×210)
5 MTPS 630 1.05 58 7 4.5 10 0.2 10
(3×210) (3×.35)
6 Maithon HPS 60 0.1 0.36 0 2.5 0.3 0.1 10
(Black Start Source) (3×20)
7 Maithon GT 82.5 0.1 2 0 4 0.3 0.1 10
( Black Start Source) ( 3×27.5)
8 Panchet HPS 80 0.16 0.45 0 2.5 0.3 0.1 10
(2×40 )

Vol 86, June 2005 9