Fast acting load shedding

An energy management system (EMS) function, fast-acting load shedding (FALS), which acts as a protective relay scheme to prevent a blackout is described. It is believed that the FALS application showcases a novel use of an EMS´s ability to coordinate activities over a wide geographical area; from gathering data to act as input to the protective function, to correctly determining and shedding the proper amount of load. The system conditions necessitating the development of the function are described. The design criteria, its computer implementation, operating experience, and known deficiencies are detailed