Voltage Stability Assessment by Holomorphically Estimating the Bifurcation Point of Electric Grids

Abstract

© 2018 IEEE. Modernization of the grid, inclusive of high renewable energy penetration and the consequent power variability, requires fast power-flow computations for useful management of power in new network configurations. Voltage stability of an electrical grid is a big challenge to solve in power system operation, so as to avoid voltage collapse and subsequent black outs. This paper presents a novel means of voltage stability assessment by estimating the bifurcation point within the context of a non-iterative power-flow method known as Holomorphic Embedded Power Flow (HEPF). HEPF is computationally fast and guarantees solution to the power flow problem through constructing the mathematical solution for the power-flow problem, provided the solution exists. A 3-bus system is first used to explain the holomorphic matrix formulations and then demonstrated on a 4-bus system and a 9-bus test-case to evaluate proximity to a critical point with respect to load change.