Research Proposal

Provisional title: Improvement of the safety of a power system by the usage

of artificial intelligence and space exploration.

Topic: Power System Security.

I. Introduction

The primary objective of an electric utility is to satisfy the demand of its customers for
electrical energy in the most economical way while ensuring an acceptable level of service
quality. This implies an uninterrupted supply of electrical energy under strict frequency and
voltage conditions [1].

Unfortunately, one of the inherent characteristics of an electrical grid operation is the constant
presence of disturbances. These disturbances can be of internal origin to the system, such as
random variation of the load, untimely operation of protection..., Or of external origin such as
lightning, wind, with consequences as diverse as the opening of a line, the loss of a generator...
For this, a number of studies are carried out offline and online, repeatedly, in order to
understand and be able to predict the consequences of the various disruptions, to be able to
avoid them or to cope with them by taking appropriate decisions in the conduct of the network.
Most large power systems install equipment to allow operations personnel to monitor and
operate the system in a reliable manner. In this Study will deal with the techniques and
equipment used in these systems. We will lump these under the commonly used title ―Systems
Security‖ [1].
The generators, lines and transformers of an electrical power system are characterized by
physical limits of production and transfer, which must never be exceeded in steady state.
For these reasons of security of the materials, and also of quality of service, operating limits are
imposed on power transits and nodal voltages [1].

Mathematically is expressed as follows:

When all these equations and inequations are satisfied, then the system is said to be in normal
operating state.

One of the goals of electrical network management is to maintain this mode of operation, but in
practice, disturbances can lead the system into undesirable states.
The system will be said to be in safe operation if, for any disturbance, it remains in normal
operation, otherwise it will be said to be in a dangerous or alert state [1].

An electrical power system must be maintained in a preferred state for as long as possible. If
the system moves into an alert state, control actions must be undertaken to bring it back to the
preferred state. Otherwise, it may move into an emergency state following a contingent event,
where one or more electrical constraints appear. These must be lifted as quickly as possible, by
corrective or rescue actions, which are often expensive, such as load shedding [2].

: Transit capacity
: Voltage

1
The problems of the studies of the security of a power system are located on three levels which
we will seek an answer, that it is in a phase of planning, by seeking to build the network as safe
as possible or in the phase of control, in order to prevent and be able to face any disturbance.

The purpose of this study of the security analysis is to know:

1. Whether the system is in an insecure operating state?

2. If the system is in a state of alert then how to bring it back to a safe state, economically?
3. If a disturbance occurs, how to safeguard the operation of the power system at a lower
cost?

The answer to the first question is the focus of this work, which is the evaluation of the safety
of a power system.
This last task is a prerequisite to any action in the control of an electrical network. It generally
consists in simulating line openings and generator stalls, to see the consequences on nodal
voltages and power flow in the lines.

But, to establish an exhaustive list of probable disturbances is something impossible, when we

see the computation time that it requires for the simulation and the costs that it entails for large
power systems [1].

Moreover, in the operational context, the real-time constraint makes it very difficult to develop
a detailed analysis of disturbances, especially since the system is in constant motion, and for
each operating point, there is a list of critical disturbances different from the one that could be
established during offline studies.

On the other hand, establishing a short list of the most impactful disturbances, based on the
dispatchers experience and intuition, may be inadequate given its inherent lack of rigor and
objectivity.
For these reasons, different approaches to the problem have been carried out, in order to be able
to define an objective and efficient method of security evaluation.

Such systems are usually combined with supervisory control systems that allow operators to
control circuit breakers and disconnect switches and transformer taps remotely. Together, these
systems are often referred to as SCADA systems, standing for supervisory control and data
acquisition system. The SCADA system allows a few operators to monitor the generation and
high-voltage transmission systems and to take action to correct overlords or out-of-limit
voltages. The second major security function is contingency analysis. The results of this type of
analysis allow systems to be operated defensively. Many of the problems that occur on a power
system can cause serious trouble within such a quick time period that the operator could not
take action fast enough. This is often the case with cascading failures [2].

Given the complexity of the problem to be solved when evaluating the security of an electrical
network, a set of algorithms based on decision theory [1], has been developed in order to
quickly identify and classify the critical disturbances.

While these approaches have proven satisfactory for planning studies, i.e. offline studies, they
still prove to be too slow, non-adaptive and not very robust when used online [1].

2
In this study, a new way proposed based on artificial intelligence , pattern recognition, satellite-
based methods, the goal being to estimate, command and control directly from a number of state
variables, the degree of security of an electrical network.

II. Background

The modern electrical grid will be a system composed by a large number of distributed power
components, operation and control is basic goal to provide users with quality electricity power
in economic rational degree for power system [3], and ensure their stability and reliability. So it
is necessary to carry out the planning of power system monitoring and control, but with the
development of the electric power system, the demand is coming more and more, power
systems utilize long-distance high-power exchanges, in order to ensure its safety, economic and
reliable operation of the workload increase, Using satellite-based communication in order to
control of geographically large interconnected power systems. The application of satellite-based
measurement for improving the dynamic thermal rating of overhead transmission circuits
[6ART], concurrently, artificial intelligence techniques to assist operational personnel to check
and judge greatly reduces the workload of operational staff also improves the efficiency of
dealing with incidents. This is one of the main causes in recent years that researches on
application of electric power workers poured into artificial intelligence [1].

III. State-of-the-art and objectives

Satellite technology is a useful technique for power system measurements at specific sites.
Described herein is an innovative method to measure overhead transmission line sag utilizing
differential GPS as an example of potential application of satellite technology. The accuracy of
dynamic thermal ratings is critically dependent on the measurement accuracy of the input
variables to the particular prediction model. The uncertainty of such predictions is analyzed
using error propagation techniques. As an example, wind speed error of 0.3 m/s the weather
model can yield a 37% inaccuracy in the predicted line ampacity for a Drake conductor [4]. As
conductor sag could be considered as the ultimate parameter to quantify the loading of overhead
conductors, it is desirable to directly measure sag in real time.
Utilities have been direct beneficiaries of the advances made possible by satellite-based
technology. The useful information obtained from satellites includes among other things
lightning detection, weather prediction, and enhanced communications. For example, the
National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) utilizes satellites to relay electric and magnetic
fields sensor data to the NLDN control center [5]. Satellites have also provided knowledge of
space weather events such as solar flares, which can inject large numbers of ionized particles
into the earth’s magnetic field.

Table 1

GPS Standard Positioning Service (SPS) Accuracy

Such events can negatively affect power system operations due to the geomagnetic induced
current [6]. Real-time solar wind data from NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer has
enhanced the capability to forecast geomagnetic storm activity [7].
3
Satellite communications can be incorporated into existing monitoring and control systems such
as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Energy Management
Systems (EMS) [8]. SaskPower utilized satellite voice and data channels to control its gas and
electric systems [9]. However, satellite communications are not without potential interference
from solar phenomena [10]. It was recognized quickly that the precise timing available from
certain satellites such as Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and
NAVSTAR would be of use to power engineers [11], [12]. At present, the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates two GOES to provide weather data.
NAVSTAR is the middle-altitude constellation of 24 orbiting satellites composing the GPS. The
GPS provides time and three-dimensional location information. Moore and Crossley provide an
introduction to the GPS in the context of power systems applications [13]. Applications for
power systems have taken advantage of the accurate time information available [14] in contrast
to many other fields which make greater use of the position data. It was recognized that such
precise timing could be applied to large area synchronous sampling, protective relaying testing,
state estimation, and fault location [11], [12], [15].
Application of GPS technology to power engineering has included surveying, mapping, system
protection, and real-time phasor measurements. Synchronization of the data acquisition system
provides accurate time tagging of measurements [16]. This, in turn, allows the (voltage) phase
difference at geographically diverse locations to be determined. Further, locating line faults
using synchronized measurements has been improved [17] – [18] and GPS use for positional
protection of transmission systems has been demonstrated [19].
A particular instrument resulting from the application of GPS technology to power systems is
the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) [20]. The PMU was developed at the Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, Blacksburg, in the mid-1980s [21]. The GPS time-synchronized PMU measures
current and voltage in phasor detail (i.e., magnitude and phase). This is accomplished by a
minimal mean square fit of a phasor to the time-stamped measurements. By deploying multiple
PMUs around a power system, the phase angles between various locations can be determined.
Phasor measurements provide the capability to investigate power system stability in greater
detail. As an example, in [22] there is a proposal to view protection as an integrated system
control function. The synchronized measurements from PMUs are the main sensory inputs to
this control system.
The use of GPS timing signals is not restricted to the North American continent. A GPS-based
data acquisition system for wide-area monitoring of power system responses was implemented
in Japan over a decade ago [23]. Phase angle measurements were incorporated into a Spanish
power system state estimator [24].
The application of satellite communications technology to the protection of rural distribution
networks was proposed more than a decade ago for developing countries with low population
density and inhospitable terrain [25]. The costs of installing appropriate conventional
communications infrastructure, such as repeater stations, for an SCADA system may be greater
than utilizing a satellite-based system. Use of the two-way communications capability of LEOS
for remote meter reading and rural distribution automation has been proposed in Australia [26].

1. satellite-based measurements

Satellite technologies have been used and have been widely proposed for various
communications and measurement applications. An example of satellite-based measurement
application in power engineering is the use of GPS signals for the measurement of the physical
sag of overhead transmission conductors [27], [28].

4
 Fig. 1. Basic DGPS configuration for conductor sag measurement.

The measurement of the sag of transmission conductors above grade is important in ascertaining
the real-time rating of the conductor: that is, circuits can be loaded to a level closer to the
physical limitation of the conductor considering real-time meteorological conditions as well as
conductor thermal physics. Alternatives that employ direct measurement of sag as well as
indirect estimation methods are described in [29]. Those direct techniques include optical
instrumentation that survey the conductor and measurement of the electric field in the space near
the conductors. In the subsequent paragraphs, a satellite-based direct measurement method is
proposed.
Fig. 1 shows a proposed basic configuration of a differential GPS (DGPS) method to measure
overhead transmission conductor position and hence, sag. Inverse DGPS technology is used. For
direct DGPS technology, position information is gathered at the remote (rover) location (see
Fig. 1); for indirect DGPS, the position information is collected at the base station. Normally
only one phase of a circuit would be instrumented in a critical span. From the base station, a
hardwire connection might be used to bring position data to power system operators.
Alternatively, the base station may be at the operations center itself. Silva and Olsen report that
it is unlikely the power line conductors will interfere with the use of GPS satellite signals [30].
There is a considerable data processing burden in the implementation of the DGPS: this is
needed to attenuate noise and enhance accuracy. This burden is calculable in near real time
using serial online processing. The main time resolution limitations of the instrument are the
calculation of the (x, y, z, t) from the GPS signal and bad-data rejection. The accuracy of GPS
measurements depends heavily on the configuration of the receiver(s) (e.g., standard GPS or
differential), parameters that influence error in measurements, the number and position of the
satellites in view, and the digital signal processing of the GPS measurements. The fundamental
required data processing is the solution of the time-distance linear equations for the four or more
GPS measurements. These equations are usually solved recursively using a previously solved
case as an initialization.

Distance = Velocity time …(1)

2. Artificial Intelligence Overview and Applications

Artificial intelligence power system is developing rapidly at present, artificial intelligence

includes expert system, artificial neural network, fuzzy diagnosis theory and genetic algorithm.
Each has its advantages and limitations, and the lack of a universal and effective method applied
to all fields of power system. Hybrid intelligence, that is, a variety of intelligent technology,
5
becoming one of the important development direction of AI [31]. Distributed artificial
intelligence is a branch of artificial intelligence research, in which parallel distributed
computing eventually come into being. Now the structure of the neural network itself and the
improvement of the algorithm is also an important task of AI exploration. More classic round
cell neural network BP network with bounded generalization and refuse good characteristics.

With the rapid development of China's power grid scale and the construction of the special
high-voltage power grid in North China, central China and East china. The need to consider the
factors that affect the safe and stable operation of power grid more and more, the grid running
mechanisms are more complex. In order to study the power system for the use of artificial
intelligence tools to solve the problem of the characteristics divided problem on time frame into
real-time control, management planning two parts [32].
Distribution of electric power system automation and manual control devices, disconnecting
switch and so on. These relatively simple local individuals element control complex and
together constitute a whole power system real-time control that is discrete control and
continuous control.

Neural networks are connectionist models inspired by the biological nervous system, and are
used to model cognitive tasks, such as complex pattern recognition in noisy environments.
By these qualities, this tool sees itself as an interesting means in the online use in a control
center of power system [1].
The pattern recognition approach to network security is an original approach that greatly
simplifies the evaluation and analysis problem.

The first advantages brought by these techniques are:

* The speed of diagnosis.

* The ability to generalize.
* Robustness.

On the other hand, the disadvantages of neural networks appear essentially during their design,
whether in the choice of training data or in their dimensioning (number of layers and neurons).

Nowadays, there are no systematic methods to lift these constraints, and if we do not make the
right choice of these parameters, the results provided by the neural network will be affected [1].

Taking into account these considerations, this work aims to apply a neural model to the
evaluation of the security of a power system.

3. Objectives:

- In this section Differential GPS positioning data will be used to measure

overhead Transmission Lines and componetes of power system.
- To collect all this data and send it back on real time to local sites via satellite
communications.
- To this end, it is particularly invested the problem of the choice of the data to
provide as base of training to the neural network, as well as the dimensioning
and the optimization of the performances of this last, by the Differential GPS
positioning collected data.

6
 IV. Methodology

The primary research method for this study is literature review and conceptual
modeling. Constraint identification and classification through a structured approach is
the very first step. This study will first review various types of constraints in electrical
power system . Based on this understanding, a classification method will be developed
to categorize constraint factors for the purpose of constraint identification and modeling.
In the second stage of this study, To realize a centralized control scheme, various
measurements and signals consisting of voltages, currents, and phase angles from local
areas must be taken from space by satellites and transmitted to the main control center.
Likewise, the control center must treat this data and send control signals to the local
power controllers in order to enhance the security of a power system.
The third stage is devoted to the theory of neural networks, to the problems inherent to
these models, and to their use in the evaluation of the security of electrical networks.
Subsequently, in order to generate as rich a learning base as possible, and based on data
taken from satellites a realistic load flow model is developed, taking into account the
behavior of an electrical power system during contingencies. The modeling of the
primary control of generators as well as the modeling of loads will be introduced.
In the fourth stage particular attention is paid to the generation of the data set that will be
used to extract the neural network training set, we will be study the influence of the latter
on the construction of the neural model.
Finally, it is defined a method of effective dimensioning of the connectionist model,
moreover it tries to improve its performances.

References

[1] Debs, A. S., Benson, A. R., ―Security Assessment of Power Systems,‖ Systems Engineering
For Power: Status and Prospects, U.S. Government Document, CONF-750867, 1967, pp. 1-29.
[2] El-Abiad, A. H., Stagg, G. W., ―Automatic Evaluation of Power System Performance
Effects of Line and Transformer Outages,‖ AIEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and
Systems, Vol. PAS-81, February 1963, pp. 712-716.
[3] power inverters and the distribution network,‖ in IEEE Trans. Power Electron. vol. 19, no. 6,
pp. 15861593
[4] K. E. Holbert and G. T. Heydt, ―Prospects for dynamic transmission
circuit ratings,‖ in Proc. IEEE Int. Symp. Circuits and Systems (ISCAS 2001), vol. 2, pp. 205–
208.
[5] R. Bernstein, R. Samm, K. Cummins, R. Pyle, and J. Tuel, ―Lightning
detection network averts damage and speeds restoration,‖ IEEE Comput. Appl. Power, vol. 9,
no. 2, pp. 12–17, Apr. 1996.
[6] J. G. Kappenman, ―Geomagnetic storms and their impact on power systems,‖ IEEE Power
Eng. Rev., vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 5–8, May 1996.
[7], ―Geomagnetic storm and power system impacts: advanced storm forecasting for
transmission system operations,‖ in Proc. IEEE Power Engineering Soc. Summer Meeting, vol.
2, 1999, pp.1187–1191.
7
[8] D. J. Marihart, ―Communication technology guidelines for EMS/SCADA systems,‖ IEEE
Trans. Power Del., vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 181–188, Apr. 2001.
[9] D. C. Brownlee and G. L. Wilkinson, ―Electric and gas utility control via satellite,‖ in Proc.
WESCANEX Digital Communications Conf., 1988, pp. 178–182.
[10] F. Cleveland, W. Malcolm, D. E. Nordell, and J. Zirker, ―Solar effects on
communications,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 460–468, Apr. 1992.
[11] R. E. Wilson, ―Uses of precise time and frequency in power systems,‖ Proc. IEEE, vol. 79,
no. 7, pp. 1009–1018, Jul. 1991.
[12], ―Methods and uses of precise time in power systems,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 7, no.
1, pp. 126–132, Jan. 1992.
[13] P. Moore and P. Crossley, ―GPS applications in power systems, part 1 introduction to
GPS,‖ Power Eng. J., vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 33–39, Feb.1999.
[14] B. J. Cory and P. Gale, ―Application of precise time in electrical transmission and
distribution systems,‖ in Proc. IEE Colloq. Precise Time and Frequency—The Beat of a Single
Drum, London, U.K., 1992, pp. 8/1–8/3.
[15] K. E. Martin, ―Precise timing in electric power systems,‖ in Proc. IEEE International
Frequency Control Symp., 1993, pp. 15–22.
[16] B. J. Cory and P. F. Gale, ―Satellites for power system applications,‖ Power Eng. J., vol. 7,
no. 5, pp. 201–207, Oct. 1993.
[17] M. B. Dewe, S. Sankar, and J. Arrillaga, ―The application of satellite time references to
HVDC fault location,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 1295–1302, Jul. 1993.
[18] M. A. Street, I. P. Thurein, and K. E. Martin, ―Global positioning
system applications at the Bonneville power administration,‖ in Proc. IEEE Technical
Applications Conf. Workshops (Northcon’95), pp. 244 251.
[19] Z. Q. Bo, G. Weller, T. Lomas, and M. A. Redfern, ―Positional protection of transmission
systems using global positioning system,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 1163–
1168, Oct. 2000.
[20] A. G. Phadke, ―Synchronized phasor measurements in power systems,‖ IEEE Comput.
Appl. Power, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 10–15, Apr. 1993.
[21] , ―Synchronized phasor measurements—A historical overview,‖ in Proc. Transmission and
Distribution Conf. Exhibition, 2002, pp. 476–479.
[22] C. Rehtanz, M. Larsson, M. Zima, M. Kaba, and J. Bertsch, ―System for wide area
protection, control, and optimization based on phasor measurements,‖ presented at the Int. Conf.
Power Systems and Communication Systems Infrastructures for the Future, Beijing, China,
2002, Session IX.
[23] H. Saitoh, ―GPS synchronized measurement applications in Japan,‖ in Proc. IEEE PES
Transmission and Distribution Conf. Exhibition, vol. 1, 2002, pp. 494–499.
[24] I. W. Slutsker, S. Mokhtari, L. A. Jaques, J. M. G. Provost, M. B.
Perez, J. B. Sierra, F. G. Gonzalez, and J. M. M. Figueroa, ―Implementation of phasor
measurements in state estimator at Sevillana de Electricidad,‖ in Proc. Power Industry
Computer Applications Conf., 1995, pp. 392–398.
[25] P. V. F. Beardow, J. A. Barber, R. Owen, and J. C. Bell, ―The application of satellite
communications technology to the protection of the rural distribution networks,‖ in Proc. 5th
Int. Conf. Developments in Power System Protection, 1993, pp. 17–20.
[26] T. Dhar and T. Tang, ―Present and future communication technologies for distribution
automation in rural Queensland, Australia,‖ in Proc. 1998 Int. Conf. Energy Management and
Power Delivery, vol. 2, pp. 650–655.

8
[27] C. Mensah-Bonsu, U. Fernández, G. T. Heydt, Y. Hoverson, J. Schilleci, and B. Agrawal,
―Application of the global positioning system to the measurement of overhead power
transmission conductor sag,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 273–278, Jan. 2002.
[28] C. Mensah-Bonsu and G. T. Heydt, ―Real-time digital processing of GPS measurements for
transmission engineering,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 177–182, Jan. 2003.
[29] T. Seppa, ―Accurate ampacity determination: Temperature-sag model for operational real-
time ratings,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 1460–1470, Jul. 1995.
[30] J. M. Silva and R. G. Olsen, ―Use of global positioning (GPS) receivers under power-line
conductors,‖ IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 938–944, Oct. 2002.
[31] Tang Huajin, Chen Hanping. Research on the application of artificial intelligence
technology in electric power system [J]. electric power construction, 2002, 23 (1):42-44.
[32] Power system relaying committee mark enns et al.Working group D10 of the line
protection subcommittee.Potential applications of expert systems to power system
protection.IEEE Trans on Power Dalivery,1994,9(2):720～ 728