Improving smart grid operation with new Hierarchically Coordinated Protection approach

Nowadays, power systems are characterized with heavy loading conditions, abrupt changes in generation patterns, extensive switching of power system configuration and high penetration of distributed generation (DG). Under those conditions performance of the conventional relays that rely on predefined settings may deteriorate leading to system wide disturbances and blackouts. To ensure reliable system operation, monitoring, control and protection have to be improved. In this paper, new Hierarchically Coordinated Protection (HCP) approach to mitigate the effects of increased grid complexity on its operation is proposed. The proposed approach utilizes local and wide area measurements and relies on the three HCP framework levels: fault anticipation and prediction, adaptive fault detection, and relay operation correction in case of unwanted tripping. It brings intelligence to the relays at all voltage levels and uses information and statistics from the systems such as weather, lightning, animal and bird migration patterns, component outage history, etc to enhance protection system tripping dependability and security.