Wide Area Inter-Area Oscillation Monitoring Using Fast Nonlinear Estimation Algorithm

This paper presents the results of the development of Smart Grid transmission network applications in the Great Britain (GB) power system. A new Wide Area Monitoring System (WAMS) application for monitoring inter-area oscillations is developed. The core of this novel application is a fast nonlinear algorithm for the real-time estimation of the dominant inter-area oscillation mode, which processes GPS synchronized information obtained from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) installed in the power system. It is based on the Newton-Type Algorithm (NTA), an efficient parameter estimator. The paper focuses on the practical application of the new WAMS application: two data sets were tested, one based on computer simulations and the other based on real-life data records. The computer simulated oscillatory signals were obtained through dynamic simulations of the full GB power system model consisting of over 200 generators. The real-life data records used information collected by the FlexNet Wide Area Monitoring System (FlexNET-WAMS) installed in the GB network. Based on these data records, the features of inter-area oscillations in the GB network are drawn.