Critical evaluation of wide area monitoring systems from a GB transmission system operator perspective

The Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), with its ability to directly calculate the power systems state variable, is deemed vital to achieving the wide area monitoring and control requirements of the Smart Grid. Making effective use of the data however, is not without its challenges and the successful deployment of such a synchrophasor-based system requires enhanced testing and validation. The development of PMU´s on the GB system is going through an evolutionary process to determine the practical applications of the technology in terms of data resolution and device location. This paper focuses on the development of wide area monitoring systems (WAMS) on the GB System, discussing relevant future scenarios. We also draw comparisons with a University based WAMS installed at the domestic supply level, looking at the capability of such a system to monitor the transmission network.