Wide-area, real-time monitoring and visualization system

• US 8,060,259 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electric Power Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric Power Group LLC
• Inventors: Budhraja, Vikram S., Martinez Morales, Carlos A., Dyer, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US11/764,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 700/83, 700/286, 700/291, 700/297, 702 60- 62, 702179-185, 709217-219, 709223-225, 709/249, 715/965, 715/969, 703/18
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/133 by using digital technique
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring an electric power grid. The electric power grid has a plurality of grid portions, each grid portion corresponding to one of a plurality of control areas. The real-time performance monitoring system includes a monitor computer for monitoring at least one of reliability metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid. The data for metrics being monitored by the monitor computer are stored in a data base, and a visualization of the metrics is displayed on at least one display computer having a monitor. The at least one display computer in one said control area enables an operator to monitor the grid portion corresponding to a different said control area.

Claims

1. A wide-area real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring and assessing dynamic stability of an electric power grid, the system comprising:

a monitor computer including an interface for receiving a plurality of data streams, each data stream comprising sub-second, time stamped synchronized phasor measurements wherein the measurements in each stream are collected at geographically distinct points over a wide area of the grid;

wherein the monitor computer monitors metrics including at least one of reliability metrics, power grid operations metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics or market metrics over a wide area of the electric power grid, wherein the wide area comprises at least two distinct entities selected from the group consisting of transmission companies, utilities, and regional reliability coordinators;

wherein the monitor computer derives in real-time from the plurality of data streams from the at least two distinct entities selected from the group consisting of transmission companies, utilities, and regional reliability coordinators, one or more dynamic stability metrics including phase angles, damping, oscillation modes, and sensitivities for dynamics monitoring using phasor measurements in which the stability metrics are indicative of grid stress and/or instability, over the wide area; and

wherein the monitor computer is configured to supply at least two different categories of data concern the metrics to a graphical user interface coupled to the monitor computer for concurrently displaying the at least two different categories of data concerning the metrics,

wherein the categories of data include monitoring data, tracking data, historical data, prediction data, and summary data,

wherein the graphical user interface provides concurrent visualization of a plurality of metrics directed to a wide geographic area of the grid covering at least two distinct entities selected from the group consisting of transmission companies, utilities, and regional reliability coordinators, and

wherein the computer accumulates and updates wide area dynamic performance metrics in real time as to wide area and local area portions of the grid.

2. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer analyzes the monitored metrics and the graphical user interface displays results of analyzing the metrics.

3. The performance monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the monitor computer determines whether any of the monitored metrics crosses a threshold anywhere within the wide area of the grid, identifies at least one of a utility company, transmission company, reliability entity or jurisdiction responsible for the local and/or wide portion of the electric power grid in which the threshold is crossed.

4. The performance monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the determination by the monitor computer is transferred to another computer system for display, further analysis, or as an input for another calculation.

5. The performance monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the monitor computer is configured to transfer the results of the analysis to another computer system for display, further analysis, or as an input for another calculation.

6. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes means for receiving data from remote locations.

7. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer is coupled to a global computer network for receiving data over the wide area and wherein the performance monitoring system can store the data and replay it for power grid system performance assessment, event diagnostics, root cause analysis of events and situational assessment of dynamic stability of the electric power grid in real time.

8. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes an application for performing real-time monitoring of at least one of voltage/VAR (volt-ampere reactive), ACE (area control error)-frequency, or AIE (area interchange error) schedule.

9. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes an application for performing real-time monitoring with data comprising at least one of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), energy management system (EMS), or phasor measurements.

10. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the wide area includes a geographic area comprising one or more cities, counties, states or countries.

11. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes means for enabling a user to drill down and visualize the data displayed on the graphical user interface at various geographical resolutions ranging from wide-area to local-area.

12. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer activates an alarm when a performance abnormality is detected in at least one metric of the monitored metrics.

13. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes means for notifying personnel when one or more of the metrics crosses a threshold.

14. The performance monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the notifying of personnel occurs by e-mail, text message, pager, audible alarms, or visual displays.

15. The performance monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitor computer includes a market monitoring application for performing real-time monitoring of the market metrics comprising at least one of market power, market price, price spikes, imbalance energy, demand forecast error, or safe regulation band.

16. The performance monitoring system of claim 15, wherein the market monitoring application includes means for performing an action in response to one or more of the market metrics.

17. A method of performing wide area real time monitoring and assessment of dynamic stability of an electric power grid comprising:

receiving a plurality of data streams, each data stream comprising sub-second, time stamped synchronized phasor measurements wherein the measurements in each stream are collected at geographically distinct points over a wide area of the grid comprising at least two distinct entities selected from the group consisting of transmission companies, utility companies, and regional reliability coordinators;

monitoring dynamic stability metrics including phase angles, damping, oscillation modes, and sensitivities over the wide area of the electric power grid;

deriving in real-time from the plurality of data streams one or more stability metrics for dynamics monitoring using phasor measurements which are indicative of grid stress and/or instability;

updating the monitored metrics in real time;

concurrently displaying in graphical form at least two different categories of data concerning the metrics, wherein the categories are selected from a group consisting of monitoring data, tracking data, historical data, prediction data, and summary data;

updating the displayed data in real time;

analyzing the displayed data;

providing summary information concerning real time performance of the electric power grid; and

storing the data in real time for replay and review to perform power grid system performance assessment, event diagnostics, root cause analysis of events and situational assessment of dynamic stability of the electric power grid in real time.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising identifying monitored data of a portion of the electric power grid that crosses a threshold.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising alerting at least one of an operator or reliability coordinator responsible for the portion of the electric power grid in which the threshold is crossed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the alert is delivered by e-mail, text message, pager, audible alarms, or visual displays.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising drilling down or zooming in and viewing data across the metrics and across the geographically distinct points.

22. A wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system for assessing dynamic stability of an electric power grid, the system comprising:

a monitor computer for receiving a plurality of data streams, each data stream comprising sub-second, time stamped synchronized phasor measurements wherein the measurements in each stream are collected at geographically distinct points over a wide area of the grid, the plurality of data streams being received by the monitor computer from third party utilities or transmission companies that provide the data, wherein the wide area comprises at least two distinct entities selected from the group consisting of transmission companies, utilities, and regional reliability coordinators,

wherein the monitor computer derives in real-time from the plurality of data streams from the at least two distinct entities one or more dynamic stability metrics including phase angles, damping, oscillation modes, and sensitivities for dynamics monitoring using phasor measurements in which the stability metrics are indicative of grid stress and instability, over the wide area, and

wherein the derived metrics include at least one of reactive reserve margin, power transfer angle, voltage/volt-ampere reactive (VAR), frequency response, sensitivities and/or combinations thereof;

a database to store the measurements and derived metrics; and

a display operatively coupled to the monitor computer and database for visualization of information relating to the plurality of the measurements and derived metrics relevant to the assessment of the real-time dynamic stability of wide area and local area portions of the grid.

23. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer is adapted to enable an operator to monitor multiple control areas.

24. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer is adapted to enable an operator located in and responsible for monitoring a control area in one geographically distinct portion of the wide area to monitor one or more control areas in a separate geographically distinct portion of the wide area.

25. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer compares the derived metrics against operating limits.

26. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer compares the real time derived metrics with real time operating limits.

27. The wide area real time dynamics monitoring system of claim 26, wherein the monitor computer is configured to compute the available margin between the real time operating limits and the current operating position, the available margin being calculated using at least one of a voltage margin, a real power margin, a reactive power margin, and a phase angle difference margin.

28. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, further comprising threshold limits that are derived directly from observed statistical behavior of the monitored metrics to predict abnormal behavior within the electric power grid.

29. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer tracks one or more derived metrics for local or wide area in real-time based on a plurality of phasor measurements and performance metrics derived from phasor measurements.

30. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 29, wherein the monitor computer enables an operator or reliability coordinator to develop a plan for action to respond to warning signs of grid emergencies.

31. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 30, wherein the monitor computer notifies an operator or reliability coordinator of a utility, entity or jurisdiction when metric abnormalities are observed or limits are exceeded.

32. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 31, wherein the monitor computer includes an application for monitoring a plurality of derived metrics, and wherein the application performs real-time monitoring of at least one of derived metrics from phasor measurements for the electric power grid or a portion thereof or for one or more of a plurality of control areas, wherein the electric power grid covers the wide area, the wide area extending across one or more cities, counties, states or countries.

33. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer includes visualization of metrics, including one or more of frequency response, voltage, or power angles.

34. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the display of the derived metrics shows real-time tracking and trending of the derived metrics being monitored.

35. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer provides “

what if”

analysis.

36. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the display concurrently displays at least one dynamic geographic display and a plurality of data or text panels.

37. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitoring computer utilizes data from or is integrated with at least one of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), EMS (Energy Management System), PMUs-PDCs (phasor measurement units-phasor data concentrators) or another control power system.

38. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein an operator of the monitor computer can define an application to monitor the derived metrics, which are related to the electric power grid at a local level, control area level, or regional level covering the wide area that the operator desires to monitor.

39. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein a display format of the information is customizable or configurable by an operator or a user.

40. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the display is a monitor operatively coupled to the monitor computer.

41. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the display is part of a display computer operatively coupled to the monitor computer.

42. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 41, wherein the display computer is located in one of a plurality of control areas, transmission companies, utilities, or regional reliability coordinators or reliability jurisdictions and enables an operator in the one of the plurality of control areas to manage at least one grid portion corresponding to a different one of the plurality of control areas.

43. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer is a server and the display comprises a client in a server-client architecture.

44. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer is a dedicated server.

45. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer and the display communicate with each other in on of a web environment or over a secure proprietary network.

46. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein an operator viewing the display can interactively collect historical data and view a visualization of the historical data in a tabular, graphical or a customized format.

47. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the operator viewing the display can create interactive data reports from the metrics stored in a database.

48. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer monitors proximity to thresholds, and the display graphically represents the proximity to thresholds or limits.

49. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer tracks, identifies and saves data on defined or abnormal operating conditions in a database, and the display provides visualization of the abnormal operating conditions.

50. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer in one of a plurality of control areas enables wide area real-time control of the grid.

51. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer performs wide area monitoring of the electric power grid using at least one of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) data and/or time synchronized data from phasors or other sources.

52. The real-time performance monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer receives data concerning reliability metrics, electric power grid operations metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics or markets metrics for the electric power grid are monitored across a wide area covering multiple control areas and utilities;

wherein each of a plurality of grid portions includes a network of high voltage transmission lines and generators interconnected to the network that is spread out over the multiple control areas across the wide area;

wherein the plurality of grid portions are subject to power blackouts that spread or cascade over the wide area; and

wherein an operator using the monitor computer is a reliability coordinator having responsibility to monitor the derived metrics over the wide area for reliability management; and

prevent power blackouts that spread or cascade over the wide area.

53. The wide area real-time dynamics monitoring system of claim 22, wherein the monitor computer is configured to store the data in real time for replay and review to perform power grid system performance assessment, event diagnostics, root cause analysis of events and situational assessment of dynamic stability of the electric power grid in real time.