A Fast Certificate for Power System Small-Signal Stability

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fast, algebraic certificate for real-time stability assessment of power system equilibrium points, considering damping, inertia, and topology effects, validated through extensive experiments.

Contribution

It develops a novel algebraic stability certificate for lossy swing equations, enabling quick and practical stability evaluation in power systems.

Findings

The certificate effectively assesses stability in real-time.

Damping, inertia, and topology significantly influence stability.

Computational experiments confirm practicality and accuracy.

Abstract

Swing equations are an integral part of a large class of power system dynamical models used in rotor angle stability assessment. Despite intensive studies, some fundamental properties of lossy swing equations are still not fully understood. In this paper, we develop a sufficient condition for certifying the stability of equilibrium points (EPs) of these equations, and illustrate the effects of damping, inertia, and network topology on the stability properties of such EPs. The proposed certificate is suitable for real-time monitoring and fast stability assessment, as it is purely algebraic and can be evaluated in a parallel manner. Moreover, we provide a novel approach to quantitatively measure the degree of stability in power grids using the proposed certificate. Extensive computational experiments are conducted, demonstrating the practicality and effectiveness of the proposal.