skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Measurement placement in electric power transmission and distribution grids: Review of concepts, methods, and research needs

Journal Article · · IET Generation, Transmission, & Distribution
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1049/gtd2.12336· OSTI ID:1832413

Sensing and measurement systems are quintessential to the safe and reliable operation of electric power grids. Their strategic placement is of ultimate importance because it is not economically viable to install measurement systems on every node and branch of a power grid, though they need to be monitored. An overwhelming number of strategies have been developed to meet oftentimes multiple conflicting objectives. The prime challenge in formulating the problem lies in developing a heuristic or an optimisation model that, though mathematically tractable and constrained in cost, leads to trustworthy technical solutions. Further, large-scale, long-term deployments pose additional challenges because the boundary conditions change as technologies evolve. For instance, the advent of new technologies in sensing and measurement, as well as in communications and networking, might impact the cost and performance of available solutions and shift initially set conditions. Also, the placement strategies developed for transmission grids might not be suitable for distribution grids, and vice versa, because of unique characteristics; therefore, the strategies need to be flexible, to a certain extent, because no two power grids are alike. Despite the extensive literature on the present topic, the focus of published works tends to be on a specific subject, such as the optimal placement of measurements to ensure observability in transmission grids. There is a dearth of work providing a comprehensive picture for developing optimal placement strategies. Because of the ongoing efforts on the modernisation of electric power grids, there is a need to consolidate the status quo while exposing its limitations to inform policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers on the research-and-development needs to push the boundaries for innovation. Accordingly, this paper first reviews the state-of-the-art considering both transmission and distribution grids. Then, it consolidates the key factors to be considered in the problem formulation. Finally, it provides a set of perspectives on the measurement placement problem, and it concludes with future research directions.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Electricity (OE), Advanced Grid Research and Development; USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308
OSTI ID:
1832413
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5D00-78150; MainId:32059; UUID:3fde19db-9513-46a8-a4d8-5e743a79e4d2; MainAdminID:63163
Journal Information:
IET Generation, Transmission, & Distribution, Vol. 16, Issue 5; ISSN 1751-8687
Publisher:
Institution of Engineering and TechnologyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (176)

Placement of Synchronized Measurements for Power System Observability journal January 2009
Detection and identification of topology errors in electric power systems journal January 1988
Validation of Synthetic U.S. Electric Power Distribution System Data Sets journal September 2020
Local and Remote Estimations Using Fitted Polynomials in Distribution Systems journal July 2017
Choice of estimator for distribution system state estimation journal July 2009
Efficient Database Generation for Decision Tree Based Power System Security Assessment journal November 2011
Optimal PMU placement for full observability of the power network with maximum redundancy using modified binary cuckoo optimisation algorithm journal August 2016
Optimal PMU placement for power system observability using binary particle swarm optimization and considering measurement redundancy journal June 2011
Power system transient stability using individual machine energy functions journal May 1983
Automated construction of clear-sky dictionary from all-sky imager data journal December 2020
Unmasking Multivariate Outliers and Leverage Points journal September 1990
Machine Learning-Based Prediction of Distribution Network Voltage and Sensor Allocation conference August 2020
Optimal PMU placement method for complete topological and numerical observability of power system journal September 2010
Measurement location for state estimation of distribution networks with generation journal January 2005
Enhanced Topology Error Processing via Optimal Measurement Design journal August 2008
Optimal Metering Systems for Monitoring Power Networks Under Multiple Topological Scenarios journal November 2005
Robust Meter Placement for State Estimation in Active Distribution Systems journal July 2015
Trade-offs in PMU and IED Deployment for Active Distribution State Estimation Using Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm journal June 2018
Phasor measurement units placement for power system state estimation: A greedy approach conference July 2011
Optimized Measurement Allocation for Power Distribution Systems Using Mixed Integer SDP journal November 2017
Realistic Approach for Phasor Measurement Unit Placement: Consideration of Practical Hidden Costs journal February 2015
Harmonic source location and meter placement optimization by impedance network approach journal June 2011
Strategic Placement of Phasor Measurements for Parameter Error Identification journal February 2013
Optimization of State-Estimator-Based Operation Framework Including Measurement Placement for Medium Voltage Distribution Grid journal November 2014
Data‐driven sensor placement for state reconstruction via POD analysis journal January 2020
Optimal PMU Placement Considering Controlled Islanding of Power System journal March 2014
Measurement Placement in Distribution System State Estimation journal May 2009
Novel meter placement algorithm for enhanced accuracy of distribution system state estimation
  • Nusrat, N.; Irving, M.; Taylor, G.
  • 2012 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting. New Energy Horizons - Opportunities and Challenges, 2012 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting https://doi.org/10.1109/PESGM.2012.6344931
conference July 2012
A PMU Placement Scheme Considering Realistic Costs and Modern Trends in Relaying journal January 2017
Robust Koopman Operator-based Kalman Filter for Power Systems Dynamic State Estimation conference August 2018
Observability methods and optimal meter placement journal April 1990
Generalized observability analysis and measurement classification journal January 1998
Optimum Placement of Phasor Measurement Units in Power Systems journal February 2019
Real-Time Faulted Line Localization and PMU Placement in Power Systems Through Convolutional Neural Networks journal November 2019
Phasor Measurement Unit Placement Techniques for Complete and Incomplete Observability journal October 2005
Numerical observability method for optimal phasor measurement units placement using recursive Tabu search method journal April 2013
Optimal Placement of Measurement Devices in Electric Distribution Systems conference April 2006
Power quality meters placement using seeker optimization algorithm for harmonic state estimation journal December 2012
Optimal Meter Placement for Distribution Network State Estimation: A Circuit Representation Based MILP Approach journal November 2016
A Survey on State Estimation Techniques and Challenges in Smart Distribution Systems journal March 2019
Allocation of PMUs for power system‐wide inertial frequency response estimation journal July 2017
Phasor Measurement Units Optimal Placement and Performance Limits for Fault Localization journal January 2020
Approach for Multistage Placement of Phasor Measurement Units Based on Stability Criteria journal July 2016
Interoperability Analysis Tool for IEC 61850-9-2 Standard-based Merging Units conference February 2019
The Next Generation of Power Distribution Systems journal December 2010
Reliable measurement design against loss of PMUs with variable number of channels conference October 2009
Optimal Multistage Scheduling of PMU Placement: An ILP Approach journal October 2008
Optimal PMU placement for power system state estimation with random component outages journal October 2013
Nonlinear dynamic model evaluation from disturbance measurements journal January 2001
An Optimal PMU Placement Method Against Measurement Loss and Branch Outage journal January 2007
Optimal placement of angle transducers in power systems journal May 1996
Optimal PMU-Communication Link Placement for Smart Grid Wide-Area Measurement Systems journal July 2019
Genetic algorithms for optimal placement of phasor measurement units in electrical networks journal January 2003
Observability Analysis for Dynamic State Estimation of Synchronous Machines journal July 2017
Redundant Observability PMU Placement in the Presence of Flow Measurements Considering Contingencies journal November 2013
Optimal Placement of Phasor Measurement Units via Convex Relaxation journal August 2012
Optimal Phasor Measurement Units Placement for fault location on overhead electric power distribution feeders
  • Bescaro, A. A. P.; Pereira, R. A. F.; Mantovani, J. R. S.
  • 2010 IEEE/PES Transmission & Distribution Conference & Exposition: Latin America (T&D-LA 2010), 2010 IEEE/PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition: Latin America (T&D-LA) https://doi.org/10.1109/TDC-LA.2010.5762858
conference November 2010
Joint Placement of Phasor and Power Flow Measurements for Observability of Power Systems journal November 2011
Participation factor approach for phasor measurement unit placement in power system state estimation journal January 2012
Multistage Optimal PMU Placement Considering Substation Infrastructure journal November 2018
Contingency-Constrained PMU Placement in Power Networks journal February 2010
Genetic Algorithm-Based Meter Placement for Static Estimation of Harmonic Sources journal April 2005
Robust Measurement Design by Placing Synchronized Phasor Measurements on Network Branches journal February 2010
Optimal Allocation of Multichannel Measurement Devices for Distribution State Estimation journal June 2009
Cost-Effective Upgrade of PMU Networks for Fault-Tolerant Sensing journal May 2018
Robust state estimation based on projection statistics [of power systems] journal May 1996
Lyapunov exponent‐based optimal PMU placement approach with application to transient stability assessment journal August 2016
Power system observability with minimal phasor measurement placement journal May 1993
Analysis of measurement-set qualitative characteristics for state-estimation purposes journal January 2007
A Multi-Objective PMU Placement Method Considering Measurement Redundancy and Observability Value Under Contingencies journal August 2013
PMU placement for dynamic state tracking of power systems conference August 2011
Placement of PMUs to Enable Bad Data Detection in State Estimation journal November 2006
Distribution circuit state estimation using a probabilistic approach journal January 1997
Trade-Offs in PMU Deployment for State Estimation in Active Distribution Grids journal June 2012
PMU Placement With Channel Limitation for Faulty Line Detection in Transmission Systems journal April 2020
MATPOWER: Steady-State Operations, Planning, and Analysis Tools for Power Systems Research and Education journal February 2011
Fault location observability analysis and optimal meter placement based on voltage measurements journal July 2009
Recording and analyzing the July 2 cascading outage [Western USA power system] journal January 1997
An artificial intelligence framework for online transient stability assessment of power systems journal May 1989
PMU placement considerations — A roadmap for optimal PMU placement conference March 2011
Generalized Integer Linear Programming Formulation for Optimal PMU Placement journal August 2008
Measurement placement for power system state estimation using decomposition technique journal July 2005
A Unified Approach for the Optimal PMU Location for Power System State Estimation journal May 2009
The Substation of the Future: Moving Toward a Digital Solution journal July 2019
Identification of harmonic sources by a state estimation technique journal January 1989
An Optimal Measurement Placement Method for Power System Harmonic State Estimation journal April 2005
Optimal placement of PMUs to maintain network observability using a modified BPSO algorithm journal January 2011
Optimal PMU Placement for Power System Dynamic State Estimation by Using Empirical Observability Gramian journal July 2015
A Revised Branch Current-Based Distribution System State Estimation Algorithm and Meter Placement Impact journal February 2004
Co-Optimal Placement of PMUs and Their Communication Infrastructure for Minimization of Propagation Delay in the WAMS journal May 2018
Roles of Dynamic State Estimation in Power System Modeling, Monitoring and Operation journal May 2021
Probabilistic Multistage PMU Placement in Electric Power Systems journal April 2011
Optimal PMU Placement by an Equivalent Linear Formulation for Exhaustive Search journal March 2012
Optimal Multistage PMU Placement for Wide-Area Monitoring journal November 2013
Real-Time Monitoring of Short-Term Voltage Stability Using PMU Data journal November 2013
Bad data analysis for power system state estimation journal March 1975
Definition and Classification of Power System Stability IEEE/CIGRE Joint Task Force on Stability Terms and Definitions journal August 2004
PMU placement for robust state estimation conference September 2013
State Estimlatjon with Phasor Measurements journal January 1986
Optimal Placement of PMUs by Integer Linear Programming journal August 2008
Power System Observability: A Practical Algorithm Using Network Topology journal July 1980
Power System Dynamic State Estimation: Motivations, Definitions, Methodologies, and Future Work journal July 2019
A Machine Learning Approach to Meter Placement for Power Quality Estimation in Smart Grid journal May 2016
Interoperability test for IEC 61850-9-2 standard-based merging units conference April 2017
Multi-objective optimal PMU placement using a non-dominated sorting differential evolution algorithm journal October 2010
Least median of squares estimation in power systems journal May 1991
Improving feeder voltage calculation results with telemetered data journal January 1996
Optimal PMU placement using Iterated Local Search journal October 2010
Phasor measurement placement for voltage stability analysis of power systems conference January 1990
Optimal allocation of smart metering systems for enhanced distribution system state estimation conference June 2016
Iteratively reweighted least-squares state estimation through Givens Rotations journal January 1999
A Computationally Efficient Method to Place Critical Measurements journal May 2011
PMU configuration for system dynamic performance measurement in large, multiarea power systems journal May 2002
Power System Control Centers: Past, Present, and Future journal November 2005
Synchronized phasor measurements in power systems journal April 1993
Risk‐oriented PMU placement approach in electric power systems journal December 2019
A New Approach for Optimal Placement of PMUs and Their Required Communication Infrastructure in Order to Minimize the Cost of the WAMS journal January 2016
Optimal PMU placement for full network observability using Tabu search algorithm journal May 2006
Fisher Information-Based Meter Placement in Distribution Grids via the D-Optimal Experimental Design journal March 2018
Data-Availability-Constrained Placement of PMUs and Communication Links in a Power System journal June 2014
A direct numerical method for observability analysis journal May 2000
A Review on Distribution System State Estimation journal September 2017
A Framework for Phasor Measurement Placement in Hybrid State Estimation Via Gauss–Newton journal March 2014
Optimal placement of phasor measurement systems for enhancing on-line protection and control of large-scale power systems journal September 1990
Meter Placement for Conservation Voltage Reduction in Distribution Systems journal March 2018
Multi-objective biogeography based optimization for optimal PMU placement journal May 2012
PMU Placement Optimization for Efficient State Estimation in Smart Grid journal January 2020
Tuning of Measurement Weights in State Estimation: Theoretical Analysis and Case Study journal July 2018
Transmission Network Fault Location Observability With Minimal PMU Placement journal July 2006
Identification of Outages in Power Systems With Uncertain States and Optimal Sensor Locations journal December 2014
A fast integer algorithm for observability analysis using network topology journal January 1990
Optimal Meter Placement for Robust Measurement Systems in Active Distribution Grids journal May 2014
Taxonomy of PMU Placement Methodologies journal May 2012
Optimal Deployment of Wide-Area Synchronized Measurements for Fault-Location Observability journal February 2013
Nondominated sorting genetic algorithm for optimal phasor measurement placement journal February 2003
PMU Placement for Line Outage Identification via Multinomial Logistic Regression journal January 2018
Subset selection using the total least squares approach in collinearity problems with errors in the variables journal April 1987
Stochastic Reactive Power Management in Microgrids With Renewables journal November 2015
LV Measurement Device Placement for Load Flow Analysis in MV Smart Grids journal May 2016
Optimal Placement of Phasor Measurement Units Using Immunity Genetic Algorithm journal July 2009
A PMU Placement Scheme Ensuring Real-Time Monitoring of Critical Buses of the Network journal April 2014
An Information-Theoretic Approach to PMU Placement in Electric Power Systems journal March 2013
Phasor measurement unit placement framework for enhanced wide‐area situational awareness journal January 2015
Optimal PMU Placement Based on Probabilistic Cost/Benefit Analysis journal February 2013
Sensor Placement for Outage Identifiability in Power Distribution Networks journal May 2020
Reliability-Based Incremental PMU Placement journal November 2014
Multi-criteria decision-making approach for multi-stage optimal placement of phasor measurement units journal January 2011
Anomaly Detection Using Optimally Placed $\mu \text{PMU}$ Sensors in Distribution Grids journal July 2018
Network Observability Analysis through Measurement Jacobian Matrix Reduction journal January 1987
Precision Micro-Synchrophasors for Distribution Systems: A Summary of Applications journal November 2017
Integrated Mutation Strategy With Modified Binary PSO Algorithm for Optimal PMUs Placement journal December 2017
Bad Data Identification Methods In Power System State Estimation-A Comparative Study journal November 1985
Optimal Placement of Phasor Measurement Units for Power System Observability journal August 2008
Power System Static-State Estimation, Part I: Exact Model journal January 1970
Placement of PMUs Considering Measurement Phase-Angle Mismatch journal April 2015
Unified PMU Placement for Observability and Bad Data Detection in State Estimation journal November 2014
Comparison of Bounds for Optimal PMU Placement for State Estimation in Distribution Grids journal November 2019
Optimal phasor measurement unit placement for numerical observability in the presence of conventional measurements using semi‐definite programming journal November 2015
Meter Placement for Distribution System State Estimation: An Ordinal Optimization Approach journal November 2011
Discussion on "Placement of PMUs to Enable Bad Data Detection in State Estimation" journal May 2008
Optimal cost wide area measurement system incorporating communication infrastructure journal July 2017
Optimal Allocation of Measurement Devices for Distribution State Estimation Using Multiobjective Hybrid PSO–Krill Herd Algorithm journal August 2017
The PMU Placement Problem journal January 2005
Static state estimation in electric power systems journal January 1974
A Hybrid Framework Combining Model-Based and Data-Driven Methods for Hierarchical Decentralized Robust Dynamic State Estimation conference August 2019
Reliability‐based phasor measurement unit placement in power systems considering transmission line outages and channel limits journal January 2014
Use of local measurements to estimate voltage-stability margin journal January 1999
Robustness-Oriented Meter Placement for Distribution System State Estimation in Presence of Network Parameter Uncertainty journal May 2013
Contingency-Constrained Optimal Placement of Micro-PMUs and Smart Meters in Microgrids journal March 2019
An Innovative Measurement Approach for Load Flow Analysis in MV Smart Grids journal March 2016
An optimal procedure for placing sensors and estimating the locations of harmonic sources in power systems journal July 1993
Achieving a 100% Renewable Grid: Operating Electric Power Systems with Extremely High Levels of Variable Renewable Energy journal March 2017
Co-Optimal Placement of Measurement Devices and Their Related Communication Infrastructure in Wide Area Measurement Systems journal June 2012
Genetic algorithm‐based phasor measurement unit placement method considering observability and security criteria journal January 2016
Optimal PMU placement evaluation for power system dynamic state estimation conference October 2010
Power System State Estimation Residual Analysis: An Algorithm Using Network Topology journal April 1981