OpenDSS Training

Workshop
Advanced Topics

Jeremiah Deboever, Andres Ovalle

EPRI Knoxville, TN

August 27, 2020

www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Meeting Logistics
▪ Audio Options:
1. Connect via computer
audio
2. Call local dial number
OpenDSS Virtual Training and use participant code

▪ You are Muted on Entry

– Use Q&A to ask panelist
questions

EPRI Grid Operations & Planning

▪ Q&A window
August 2020 – Panelist will either answer in
the Q&A, or
– Panelist will voice the
question

▪ We are Recording

Red Means ▪ Polling window

Polling,
Muted – Polling questions will be
Q&A active throughout
2 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 OpenDSS Virtual Training 2020

Date Time (NY time) Session Topic

August 24 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Distribution System Basics
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Intro to OpenDSS
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm OpenDSS Basics and Scripting
August 25 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Intro to OpenDSS-G
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm APIs, COM interface, etc.
August 26 11:30 am – 12:30 pm PVSystem, InvControl, Storage, Storagecontroller
August 27 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Advanced Topics
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm Applying OpenDSS in R&D

3 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Instructors

▪ Jeremiah Deboever, PhD

Jeremiah is a Research/Scientist II with EPRI in Palo Alto, California USA. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering
from Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA, a MS in Renewable Energy Engineering from Oregon Institute of
Technology, Wilsonville OR, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Binghamton University, Binghamton NY.
Jeremiah has worked on different projects around distribution system modeling and simulation with a focus on
DER integration studies, hosting capacity analysis, DERMS modeling, distribution load modeling, and quasi-static
time-series simulation. He has published over 20 publications on electric distribution modeling/simulation and
won a best poster award at the World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion in 2018.

▪ Andres Ovalle, PhD

Andres Ovalle is an Engineer/Scientist II in the Power System Studies team at the Electric Power Research
Institute (EPRI). His current research activities focus on modeling of power systems, system protection in
distribution and transmission, and impacts geomagnetic disturbance related harmonics on power systems. Mr.
Ovalle joined EPRI in 2018. Prior to joining EPRI, Mr. Ovalle was with the French National Railways Company
(SNCF) and the Grenoble Electrical Engineering Laboratory (G2E-lab) for approximately 2 years where he worked
as a postdoctoral research engineer in the use of energy storage for the support of electrified railways. Mr. Ovalle
received the B.S.E.E. degree from the Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia, in 2011, the M.E.E. degree
from the Universidad de Los Andes in 2013, and the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Université de
Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France, in 2016.

4 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Advanced Topics

5 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Outline for today’s session

▪ Advanced topics:
– Quasi-Static Time-Series (QSTS) simulation
– OpenDSS parallel processing capabilities
– Recloser placement
– GIC related harmonic capabilities (GICharm)

▪ OpenDSS in R&D:
– Available tools
– Available models and datasets
– DER integration studies
– Hosting capacity analysis
– Other examples of OpenDSS

6 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Flexible Tool Enabling a Wide Range of Analysis Types

▪ DER Interconnection studies

▪ Locational value studies
▪ Hosting capacity studies
▪ DA/FLISR scheme evaluation
Daily Voltage Profile
▪ VVO (w/ DER) 1.045
(Average Three Phase)

With PV
▪ Energy impact analysis 1.04

Mid-Feeder
voltage (pu)
1.035
▪ DER protection impacts
1.03

▪ Power quality (harmonics/flicker) Without PV

1.025

▪ Long-range planning studies 04 06 08 10 12

Hour
14 16 18 20

Driving Input Impedance from DG HSB

▪ Smart inverter control optimization 1000

|Z| ohms 100

No Capacitors
10
6000kvar
12000kvar
18000kvar

0.1
1.1 5.3 9.4 13.6 17.8 21.9 26.1 30.3 34.4
Harmonic Number

7 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Quasi-Static Time-Series (QSTS) simulation
▪ The operation of discrete controls from autonomous controllers
can be modeled with a QSTS simulation.
new regcontrol.creg4a transformer=reg4a winding=2
vreg=124 band=2 ptratio=20 ctprim=300 R=0.6 X=1.3

Example: LTC
Reg
Voltage
Regulator threshold

IEEE 123 bus feeder

Tap +5

Tap +4
Regulator threshold

Time
8 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 QSTS Applications
The IEEE Std1 defines a Quasi-Static Time-Series simulation as:

Quasi-static time-series (QSTS) simulation – “Quasi-static simulation refers to

a sequence of steady-state power flow, conducted at a time step of no less than 1
second but that can use a time step of up to one hour. Discrete controls, such as
capacitor switch controllers, transformer tap changers, automatic switches, and
relays, may change their state from one step to the next. However, there is no
numerical integration of differential equations between time steps.”
[IEEE Std 1547.7-2013]

t=0 t=1 t=2 t=3 t=4 t=400 t=Tend

Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow

Magnitude

Time

1 IEEE Std 1547.7-2013. ‘IEEE Guide for Conducting Distribution Impact Studies for Distributed Resource Interconnection’. 2016.
9 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Dealing with multiple controllers: Control queue
What if there are a line regulator and a capacitor banks?

Which one is the first one to act?

t=0 t=1 t=2 t=3 t=4 t=19 t=31

Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow Power flow

Controllers Controllers Controllers Controllers Controllers Controllers Controllers

Tap action Capacitor ON

Power flow Power flow

Capacitor to Regulator to Controllers Controllers

turn on change tap

(30sec delay) (15sec delay) Regulator Capacitor
changes tap turns on
Timestamp Action to take Timestamp Action to take Timestamp Action to take
t = 31 Capacitor to turn on t = 19 Regulator to change tap +1 t = 19 Regulator to change tap +1
- - t = 31 Capacitor to turn on t = 31 Capacitor to turn on
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- -

10 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 OpenDSS QSTS simulation
▪ Set Controlmode={OFF | STATIC |EVENT | t=0 t=30 t=60
TIME}
– STATIC: time does not advance, and control Power flow

Controllers
Power flow

Controllers
Power flow

Controllers
actions are executed in order of shortest Reg Action

time to action until all actions are cleared Power flow

from the queue. Controllers

– EVENT: Time is advanced automatically to Control queue

the time of the event. Timestamp Action to take
t = 15 Regulator to change tap +1
– TIME: Similar to the last slide, the control t = 30 Capacitor to turn on
actions are driven by time. - -
- -
- -
▪ A control action in the queue will be removed
- -
if the control signal comes back within the
- -
controller limits and the timestamp isn’t reach.

▪ OpenDSS command lines:

– ‘Show controlled’ will show controlled equipment.
– ‘Show controlqueue’ will show the current control queue.
– ‘Show eventlog’ will show the past controller actions.

11 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Parallel computing in OpenDSS
▪ To further increase the computational speed on large feeder models, a parallel
processing is used with OpenDSS using the actor model.
▪ Each actor is created by OpenDSS, runs on a separate processor using separate
threads and has its own assigned core and priority (real-time priority for the process
and time critical for the thread)

12 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 What can be done with parallel processing in
OpenDSS?

Spatial
Parallelization

Temporal
Parallelization

13 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Using parallel processing in OpenDSS

Leveraging parallel processing to

concurrently analyzing 3 different
feeder models.

The examples for parallel processing (MATLAB and python) can be downloaded from:
https://sourceforge.net/p/electricdss/code/HEAD/tree/trunk/Version8/Distrib/Exampl
es/Parallel_Processing/
Other examples for LabVIEW are available through the VI Package Manager.
14 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 The evolution of OpenDSS into a parallel computing
machine
There is a new set of functions and instructions related with parallel
processing, topology analysis and more that can be used using the
same DSS command environment

NumCPUs ClearAll Tear_Circuit

NumCores Wait Export IncMatrix
NewActor Parallel Export IncMatrixRows
NumActors SolveAll Export IncMatrixCols
ActiveActor ConcatenateReports Export BusLevels
CPU CalcIncMatrix Init_Diakoptics
ActorProgress CalcIncMatrix_o Refine_BusLevels
Abort CalcLaplacian Export Laplacian

15 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Recloser Siting Control Example

Start DSS
Specify DSS
master file

Execute
commands

Example: "C:\Program Files\OpenDSS\Examples\Excel\Recloser-Siting-Control.xlsm"

16 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Recloser Siting Control Example
▪ The objective of the algorithm is to determine a
location to reduce the highest number of
customer interruption.
▪ Input data for each element:
– Line object: faultrate, length, repair
– Loads: NumCust
– Location of existing automated switches
▪ Output of the analysis:
– Suggested location of new device and
resulting SAIFI / SAIDI metrics
SAIDI
Cust Int Saved Most SAIFI 7
2.5
1400 customer
6
1200 interruption 2
5
1000 saved
1.5 4
800

600 3
1
400 2
0.5
200 1
Lowest SAIFI 0
Lowest SAIDI
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 0 2 4 6 8
17 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 What is GIC? (Geomagnetically Induced Currents)

▪ Geomagnetic disturbance event

▪ Quasi-DC currents induced on
transmission lines (long man-
made metallic infrastructures)
▪ GIC flows can be computed
using
industry
software

• Transformer saturation (core

dependent)
• Saturation induced harmonics
• Reactive Power loss
• Impacts on protection
equipment, resonance, etc.

[1] EPRI, Geomagnetic disturbance vulnerability assessment and planning guide, 3002013590, 2018.
[2] NERC, GMD Monitoring, mitigation and next steps, literature review and summary of the April 2011 NERC GMD workshop, 2011.
[3] IEEE Guide for Establishing Power Transformer Capability while under Geomagnetic Disturbances," in IEEE Std C57.163-2015 , vol., no., pp.1-50, 26 Oct. 2015
18 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 EPRI GICharm v1.0

▪ Software tool to assess the impact of

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC)
related harmonics
▪ Beta version available to the public
▪ Will be released as an Open source
software
▪ Capable of extensive system modeling
▪ Capable of accurate representation of
saturated transformers
▪ Works with the EPRI OpenDSS simulation
software engine
▪ Accepts system model information from
PSS®E vendor software

Available on epri.com Product ID#

3002014854

19 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 System level Analysis – Explore simulation results

▪ GUI includes circuit

plot capabilities to
overlay GIC flows,
voltage THD and
fundamental voltage
data over the circuit
footprint

A. B. Birchfield, T. Xu, and T. J. Overbye, “Power flow convergence and reactive power planning in the creation of large synthetic grids,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 2018.

20 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Applying OpenDSS in R&D

21 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Outline

Available feeder Available

Available tools:
models: datasets:
• OpenDSS • IEEE models • Load / PV
• OpenDSS-G • EPRI models profiles
• Excel VBA • 3rd party
• MATLAB toolbox datasets
• Python toolbox

22 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Scripts in OpenDSS

23 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 OpenDSS-G

See session #2 from this virtual training

24 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Using OpenDSS for its power flow engine
Start

Initialization

Volt-var optimization (VVO)

Energy storage
logic

Your
algorithm / Planning studies
study
Conservation voltage
reduction (CVR)

DER integration studies

Distributed Energt Resource

Management Systems (DERMS)

End …

25 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Excel VBA

OpenDSS power
flow engine

Start DSS

Specify DSS
master file

Execute
commands

Example: "C:\Program Files\OpenDSS\Examples\Excel\DSSDriver8.xlsm"

26 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Excel VBA – Object Browser Open Object
Browser
Open VBA

Select References
Object Browser

Select OpenDSS

27 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 MATLAB integration: GridPV Toolbox
▪ Set of MATLAB function created by Sandia National Laboratory
▪ To model and simulate the integration of distributed generation
into the electric power system and to determine the impacts on
the distribution system for highly variable generation
▪ Available at: https://pvpmc.sandia.gov/applications/gridpv-toolbox/

28 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Python integration: py-dss-interface

▪ Python Package that works on Windows

▪ Uses the official OpenDSS DirectDLL version
– Version 8.6.7.1 comes with the Package
– Users can use their OpenDSS version as well
▪ Created based on Direct connection Shared Library (DLL) for
OpenDSS doc by Davis Montenegro

▪ Installing from PyPI

– pip install py-dss-interface

29 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Getting Started User can pass the OpenDSS path as argument:
"C:/Program Files/OpenDSS"

import package

Create dss Obj

Use text method of dss

Use solution_solve
method of dss

Use circuit_allbusvolts
method of dss

IDE Code Completion is quite useful to select methods of dss

30 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Know more about py-dss-interface

▪ Resources
– PyPI (Python Package Index): https://pypi.org/project/py-dss-interface/
– GitHub: https://github.com/PauloRadatz/py_dss_interface
– Doc: https://py-dss-interface.readthedocs.io/en/latest/usage.html
– OpenDSS_Direct_DLL.pdf:https://sourceforge.net/p/electricdss/code/HE
AD/tree/trunk/Version8/Distrib/Doc/OpenDSS_Direct_DLL.pdf

31 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 IEEE test feeders
▪ 13-bus feeder: simple feeder model to
test common features

▪ 34-bus feeder: Actual feeder located in

Arizona, which is highly loaded.

▪ 37-bus feeder: Actual feeder in

California with delta configuration.

▪ 123-bus feeder: Test feeder with

significant voltage drop requiring voltage
regulation.

▪ 8500-node feeder: Large scale feeder

intended to test the scalability of an
algorithm. Secondaries are modeled.
"C:\Program Files\OpenDSS\IEEETestCases"
Available at: https://site.ieee.org/pes-testfeeders/resources/
32 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 EPRI test feeders
▪ Feeder J1: Located in northeastern US
feeder with 1.7MW of customer-owned PV
systems.

▪ Feeder K1: Located in southeastern US

with a 1.0MW customer-owned PV
system.

▪ Feeder M1: Short and compact feeder

with 1500 residential customers and
radio-controlled capacitor banks.

Available at: https://dpv.epri.com/index.html

33 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 EPRI test feeders (cont’d)

EPRI Ckt5 EPRI Ckt7 EPRI Ckt24

Primary voltage: 12.5kV Primary voltage: 12.5kV Primary voltage: 34.5kV
# of feeders: 1 # of feeders: 14 # of feeders: 2

Available at: "C:\Program Files\OpenDSS\EPRITestCircuits"

34 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Datasets 1

0.8

▪ Load profiles: (available with feeder model)

0.6

0.4
– IEEE 123 bus: ‘paperloadshape.txt’ 0.2

– EPRI ckt5: ‘loadshape_ckt5.dss’ 0

Jan730Feb1460Mar2190Apr2920May3650Jun4380Jul5110Aug5840Sep6570Oct7300Nov8030Dec8760
▪ Residential load profile 0

▪ Small & Medium commercial load profiles

▪ PV profiles:
– EPRI models: (available at: dpv.epri.com/)
▪ Resolutions: 1 sec, 1-, 15-, 60-min
– NREL dataset: (available at: pvwatts.nrel.gov/)
▪ Location-specific TMY data at 1hr resolution

35 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 3rd party datasets: Pecan Street

▪ Available at: https://www.pecanstreet.org/dataport/about/

▪ Dataport provides access to a variety of residential energy and
water data including:
– Whole-home and circuit-level – Solar generation,
energy use, – EV charging behavior,
– Appliance use, – HVAC use, etc.

https://www.pecanstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1-minute.png
36 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 3rd party datasets: Centre for Renewable Energy
Systems Technology (CREST)
▪ Available at: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/crest/demand-model/
▪ High-resolution stochastic model of domestic thermal and electricity demand.
▪ Produces one-minute resolution demand data, disaggregated by end-use.
▪ Using a bottom-up modelling approach based on patterns of active occupancy
and daily activity profiles

37 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 How is OpenDSS used ?
DER integration studies:
– Large-scale PV systems (centralized),
– Residential rooftop PV systems (distributed),
– Wind turbines,
– Electric vehicles,
– Customer-owned storage,
– Large-scale energy storage, etc.
▪ Planning studies:
– Time-varying feeder behaviors,
– Load modeling: (load allocations, load growth, AMI data, etc.),
– System reliability study, etc.
▪ Advanced System Controls:
– Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS),
– Volt-var optimization (VVO),
– Conservation Voltage Reduction (CVR),
– Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR), etc.

38 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Detailed interconnection studies
PV systems can cause negative impacts on a distribution system
feeder:
▪ Over/under-voltage conditions, ▪ Rapid power flow fluctuation,
▪ Reverse power flow, ▪ Excessive voltage controller actions,
▪ Thermal limit violations, ▪ Etc.

Solar Profile

39 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Hosting capacity
The results from a Hosting Capacity analysis estimates the amount of DER that
can be accommodated without adversely impacting power quality or reliability
under current configurations and without requiring infrastructure upgrades.

Substation Utility-Scale PV

Customer-Based PV

40 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Hosting Capacity is Issue Dependent
Impacts Considered
▪ Voltage
– Primary overvoltage
– Primary undervoltage
– Primary voltage change
– LTC/Regulator tapping
▪ Thermal
– Generating power
– Demanding power
▪ Protection
– Element fault current
– Breaker relay reduction
of reach
– Sympathetic breaker
relay tripping
– Reverse power flow
– Unintentional islanding
41 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 https://www3.dps.ny.gov/W/PSCWeb.nsf/All/6143542BD0775DEC85257FF10056479C?OpenDocument

42 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Impact of DER on Voltage Regulating Equipment
OpenDSS
Code in power flow
COM
MATLAB engine

0.4
NetLoad Profile

0.2

0
10% penetration
40% penetration
-0.2
0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48

-1
Regulator Tap Position

-2
-3
-4
-5
10% penetration
-6 40% penetration
0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48

1
Capacitor Position

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2
10% penetration
0 40% penetration
0 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48
Time [hours]
REFERENCE: J. Deboever, ‘Fast Interconnection Analysis Of PV Systems Using Vector Quantization’. Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018.

43 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Distribution OPF
▪ Three-phase unbalanced optimal power flow
▪ Python based
▪ Input data from OpenDSS through COM interface
▪ Optimization modelled with Pyomo
– Ipopt solver for problems without integer/binary variables
– Bonmin solver for problems with integer/binary variables
▪ Major distribution components modelled
– Loads, generators, lines, transformers, regulators, capacitors, PV
▪ Time series simulations (looping optimization)

44 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Automated Distribution Assessment Platform and
Tools

ADAPT
Enable distribution planners to
effectively account for the
dynamics introduced by NWA,
more effectively evaluate NWA
versus traditional solutions, as
well as identify optimal
deployment strategies.
45 IAS Webinar Series 3 December 2019

45 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Questions and Answers

OpenDSS Virtual Training

EPRI Grid Operations & Planning

August 2020

Polling,
Q&A
46 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 OpenDSS Virtual Training 2020

Date Time (NY time) Session Topic

August 24 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Distribution System Basics
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Intro to OpenDSS
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm OpenDSS Basics and Scripting
August 25 11:30 am – 12:00 pm Intro to OpenDSS-G
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm APIs, COM interface, etc.
August 26 11:30 am – 12:30 pm PVSystem, InvControl, Storage, Storagecontroller
August 27 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Advanced Topics
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm Applying OpenDSS in R&D

Recordings and presentation slides will be made available for free

at www.epri.com/OpenDSS

47 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

48 www.epri.com © 2019 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.