Identification and Mitigation of T&D Operational Security Vulnerabilities in Inverter Dominated Power Systems

PI: Saeed Lotfifard

Co-PI(s):

Sponsor: Power Systems Engineering Research Center

Award Amount: $80,000

Project Period: 01/2021 – 08/2023

Summary: This project seeks to identify operational security vulnerabilities in T&D assets that grid integration of massive amounts of inverter-based resources (e.g. wind and solar generations, HVDC systems and inverter-interfaced energy storages) creates. We will investigate how the likely cascading outages in inverter-dominated power systems will look like as the result of new dynamics and fault responses of inverter-based resources (IBRs). The project will focus on the following three main factors (1) Stability of inverters: we will analyze grid synchronization instability of IBRs and identify conditions that controllers of IBRs negatively affect the stability of the power systems at different operating modes of IBRs (i.e. grid following, grid supporting, and grid forming modes). (2) Protection systems response: we will identify the root cause of protection system vulnerabilities versus penetration levels of IBRs and develop mitigation methods, (3) Dynamic response of loads: we will identify impacts of distinct dynamics of active power distribution systems on transmission systems as the result of large integration of IBRs in distribution systems. According to the identified vulnerabilities, we will propose mitigation strategies. Investigations and mitigation methods will be verified using commercial software such as PSS/E, CAPE, ETAP, PSCAD and realistic power system models.