The Role of Power System Visualization in Enhancing Power System Security

Abstract

While the operation of much of the electric power grid is automated, the human operators and engineers are still very much "in the loop." During times of emergency operation, when the system may be close to instability and collapse, having access to timely, pertinent information about a potentially rapidly changing system state could prove crucial in preventing major blackouts. This chapter examines the role power system visualization can play in providing this information to access the margin to system instability. The focus of the chapter is on techniques for the rapid analysis and display of information, based primarily on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data, which will allow operators and engineers to quickly assess the state of a large power grid, and then take effective control actions. It also examines how visualization can be used to provide an early warning as a secure power system state gradually approaches the system stability boundary.