A two-step simulation approach for joint analysis of power systems and communication infrastructures

Given the role of information and communication technologies in future smart grids, design of interdependent power and communication networks should be performed concurrently. For this purpose, it is critical to have adequate simulation tools, able to support the process from the preliminary stage to the final implementation. A comprehensive commercial package for joint design is still not available, although prototyping solutions have been developed and proposed in literature. In this paper, we review a simulation approach based on two steps, supported by an off-line co-simulation tool and a real-time power system simulator combined with communication emulation. The two steps are not independent, as co-simulation results are the basis for real-time testing. The application of the proposed simulation approach is demonstrated through a simple although concrete example.