A Stochastic Optimal Power Flow Problem With Stability Constraints—Part I: Approximating the Stability Boundary

Stochastic optimal power flow can provide the system operator with adequate strategies for controlling the power flow to maintain secure operation under stochastic parameter variations. One limitation of stochastic optimal power flow has been that only line flows have been used as security constraints. In many systems voltage stability and small-signal stability also play an important role in constraining the operation. In this paper we aim to extend the stochastic optimal power flow problem to include constraints for voltage stability as well as small-signal stability. This is done by approximating the voltage stability and small-signal stability constraint boundaries with second-order approximations in parameter space. Then we refine methods from mathematical finance to be able to estimate the probability of violating the constraints. In this first part of the paper, we derive second-order approximations of stability boundaries in parameter space. In the second part, the approximations will be used to solve a stochastic optimal power flow problem.