PESGM Commets SB
PESGM Commets SB
Abstract—The large-scale implementation of grid-forming methods are proposed in the literature to enhance the transient
(GFM) inverters can facilitate high penetration rates of stability of the utility grid: preventive control and emergency
inverter-based resources (IBRs). To ensure the stability of the control. Emergency control, which acts after contingencies,
grid, dynamic stability analysis of multiple GFM-based IBRs aims to rapidly stabilize the transient behavior and find the
under different contingencies, IBR penetration levels, and stable equilibrium point of the power system through
inverter controller parameter settings in utility-scale power temporary, but usually disruptive methods such as load
systems is needed. In this paper, the transient stability of droop- shedding and disconnecting a number of generators [7]. In
based and VSM-based GFM inverters is evaluated in a 5000-bus
contrast, preventive controls, which function before the
New York State transmission system model. The stability impact
disturbances, consider the long-term stability of the power
of different electrical distances between fault and IBR, various
IBR output power setpoints, and several controller parameter
system and ensure improved resiliency and decreased
settings coefficients have been studied. Using the Functional likelihood of instabilities in all possible contingencies through
Mock-up Units (FMUs) and ePHASORsim solver, a scalable certain methods, such as optimal power flow (OPF) and
approach is proposed to simulate a large number of GFMs in dispatch [8]. In [9], to design VSM controller parameters at
power systems. Additionally, potential preventive control the pre-fault level, the optimal preventive control problem is
methods have been introduced, which could be used by formulated using RL methods, and the transient performance
transmission system operators to improve the stability of future of the power system is improved in different cases.
power systems with higher penetration of IBRs.
Large-scale simulation of different GFM structures in
Keywords—Transient stability, preventative control, grid- mixed power grids that contain SGs, need to be studied to
forming inverter, VSM guarantee the resiliency and reliability requirements of the
transient preventive control. In [10], a hybrid IBR-SG power
I. INTRODUCTION system is developed, and different loss of synchronization
(LOS) categories are observed, resulting from the inertia
In conventional power grids, synchronous generators
mismatch and power imbalance between IBR and SG. In [11],
(SGs) have a crucial role in guaranteeing the transient stability
the performance of various GFMs such as VSM and dVOC in
of the grid, when a contingency like a three-phase fault
large grids using electromagnetic transient (EMT) software is
happens in the power system. By decarbonizing the power
evaluated for the first time. The transient stability
grid, inverter-based resources (IBRs) are the main players in
enhancement of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas
supporting the electricity demanded and maintaining the
(ERCOT) grid with a high penetration of droop-based GFM
reliability and stability of the power system. To address these
in a large area, West Texas, is shown in [12]. In [13], the GFM
challenges, the implementation of grid-forming (GFM)
performance in stability enhancement of the transmission
converters has been proposed in the literature [1]. Different
network located in Queensland, Australia is tested. Most
GFM controller structures, such as droop control [2], virtual
studies focus on investigating a specific system configuration
synchronous machine (VSM) [3], and dispatchable virtual
and its stability impact to the system. There is a need for a
oscillator control (dVOC) [4] have been proposed in recent
holistic understanding of the stability impact of IBRs, and a
years. As investigated in the literature, the transient behavior
few actionable control methods for transmission system
characteristics of the mentioned GFM structures vary when
operators to enhance the stability of the grid for a given
their controller parameter settings are changed. In [5], the
contingency.
virtual inertia of VSM-based GFMs is tuned using
reinforcement learning (RL) approaches. A hybrid power With insights from previous studies, we attempt to
system with droop-based and VSM-based GFMs is summarize the key factors that can directly impact on the
investigated in [6], and it is shown that through a proper droop transient stability of the IBR-rich systems. The main
parameters design, the stability region of power systems can contributions of this paper are as below:
be enlarged on a 9-bus system. A larger scale study to validate
the potential benefit of GFMs is preferred. • Several system conditions that will impact the transient
stability of an IBR-rich power system have been
The transient stability of a post-fault power system is analyzed. The corresponding preventative control
affected by several system configurations, such as the type and methods have been proposed.
location of the fault, the post-fault power flow, the power
network, and the dynamics of all generators and IBRs in the • A scalable approach to implement and manage a large
system. While many of the abovementioned configurations number of IBR models in a large transmission model for
are not controllable by the system operators, the states of stability analysis has been proposed.
generators and IBRs can be controlled to enhance the stability • The proposed control and implementation methods have
of the system for a given contingency (fault). Two control been validated on a realistic 5000-bus, 800-machine New
Ig Lg Rg
POI
Z
PGFM , QGFM VPOI GFM Vg g
close to a generator, the electrical distance between the fault increasingly oscillate after a while. Accordingly, it can be
and the generation unit is small, some of the voltage angles concluded that to consider worst case-scenarios to enhance
drastically deviates making the system unstable. The TSI the ISO/TSO-level preventive control, the 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑓 value should
index used can fully demonstrate the instability happening in be maintained at a certain range.
the power system, as it converges to a value close to -1. As a D. Stability Impact of IBR Controller and Settings
conclusion, the fault electrical distance has a crucial effect on
stability. The droop and VSM controller parameter values can have
a significant effect on the transient stability of the power
C. Stability Impact of Pre-Fault Power Flow system when a severe contingency happens. In this section,
This section aims to show how pre-fault power flow the effect of 𝑃 − 𝐹 loop coefficient in the droop controller [2]
settings, such as the droop-based GFM reference output and the VSM structure on transient stability is taken into
active power can change the stability margin of the NYS account. In both cases, at t=5s, a three-phase fault happens at
power system. The simulation results are demonstrated in the Volney-Oswego transmission line, and the electrical
Fig. 6, where the 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑓 value is changed from 0.5 to 0.6. As distance between the IBR and the fault is 50%. When the
shown, a three-phase fault occurred at t=5s, and its electrical droop gain in equation 2.1 changed from 𝐾𝑝 =0.02 to 𝐾𝑝 =2
distance from the IBR is 30%. Note that the fault is cleared p.u., the results are shown as cases A and B in Fig. 7,
after 0.15 seconds. In case A, where the 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑓 value is 0.5, the respectively. By comparing the TSI schemes and bus voltage
power system remained stable, although the fault was close angles, it can be concluded that increasing 𝐾𝑝 may result in a
to the IBR. On the contrary, in case B, where 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑓 =0.6, the decreased stability margin in the power system. Note that the
injected power of IBR during the fault exceeds its limit and bus voltage angle of the nearby power plants oscillates
the system is not able to maintain its stability a few seconds drastically when 𝐾𝑝 is increased. The results for the VSM-
after the fault clearance. The bus voltage angle of SGs located based IBR are shown in Fig. 8, where the original 𝐾𝑝 =0.5. As
in adjacent power plants will lose their synchronization and shown, the system remains stable after the fault. Note that the