Microgrids for Service Restoration to Critical Load in a Resilient Distribution System

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2018 · IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/TSG.2016.2591531· OSTI ID:1421344

Xu, Yin; Liu, Chen-Ching; Schneider, Kevin P.; Tuffner, Francis K.; Ton, Dan T.

icrogrids can act as emergency sources to serve critical loads when utility power is unavailable. This paper proposes a resiliency-based methodology that uses microgrids to restore critical loads on distribution feeders after a major disaster. Due to limited capacity of distributed generators (DGs) within microgrids, dynamic performance of the DGs during the restoration process becomes essential. In this paper, the stability of microgrids, limits on frequency deviation, and limits on transient voltage and current of DGs are incorporated as constraints of the critical load restoration problem. The limits on the amount of generation resources within microgrids are also considered. By introducing the concepts of restoration tree and load group, restoration of critical loads is transformed into a maximum coverage problem, which is a linear integer program (LIP). The restoration paths and actions are determined for critical loads by solving the LIP. A 4-feeder, 1069-bus unbalanced test system with four microgrids is utilized to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The method is applied to the distribution system in Pullman, WA, resulting in a strategy that uses generators on the Washington State University campus to restore service to the Hospital and City Hall in Pullman.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Electricity (OE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1421344
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-131372; TE1205000
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, Vol. 9, Issue 1; ISSN 1949-3053
• Publisher: IEEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English