Replicating Real-World 23-Hz Oscillations Caused by Large Electronic Loads

TL;DR

This paper analyzes and reproduces 23-Hz oscillations caused by large electronic loads using frequency-domain analysis and EMT simulations, validating the phenomenon with real-world data.

Contribution

It introduces a feedback system model and simulation approach to accurately replicate and understand 23-Hz oscillations in power systems.

Findings

Feedback system captures key features of oscillations

EMT simulations closely match real-world data

Analytical approach identifies critical influencing factors

Abstract

In 2024, Texas operators observed 23-Hz oscillations in real power measurements close to a large electronic load (LEL). Oscillations emerged when the load's power consumption reached approximately 320 MW level and subsided as the active power demand decreased. The paper aims to analyze the event and reproduce the oscillations using electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations. In the first stage, a representative feedback system is developed, and frequency-domain analysis is conducted to examine the phenomenon and identify its key influencing factors. Next, detailed EMT simulations are performed to further validate the proposed analytical approach. The results show that the feedback system effectively captures and characterizes the critical features of the 23-Hz oscillation incident. In addition, the EMT simulations successfully reproduce the real-world event, with the simulated results closely matching the fault recorder data.