Title: Strategies to meet grid challenges for safety and reliability

Authors: V. Madani, R.L. King

Addresses: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 1919 Webster Street, Room 411, Oakland, CA 94612, USA. ' Mississippi State University – Bagley College of Engineering, Box 9544, Mississippi State, MS, 39762-9544, USA

Abstract: Interconnected and integrated electrical power systems, by their very dynamic nature are complex. These multifaceted systems are subject to a host of challenges (e.g. aging infrastructure, distributed resources, reliability coordination). Recent worldwide events have demonstrated that it is time to re-examine traditional planning, operating, system design, and protection and control application, coordination, and setting criteria, to identify and implement solutions and tools. This article describes the strategies to meet grid challenges in providing reliable power delivery. Solutions are offered through applications of modern technology, advanced feedback control schemes using wide area measurements, wide-area visualisation techniques, and intelligent operational tools using IEC-61850 and information semantics to improve grid reliability under complicated power system conditions. The goal is to provide a vision for a comprehensive and systematic approach to meeting the grid safety and reliability management challenges through new information services.

Keywords: information semantics; information services; ontology; protection; feedback control; grid reliability; safety; sensor web; electrical power systems; reliable power delivery; grid safety; grid planning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRS.2008.020777

International Journal of Reliability and Safety, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.146 - 165

Published online: 15 Oct 2008 *

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