In this paper, a novel nonlinear robust damping controller is proposed to suppress power oscillation in interconnected power systems. The proposed power oscillation damping controller exhibits good nonlinearity and robustness. It can consider the strong nonlinearity of power oscillation and uncertainty of its model. First, through differential homeomorphic mapping, a mathematical model of the system can be transformed into the Brunovsky standard. Next, an extended state observer (ESO) estimated and compensated for model errors and external disturbances as well as uncertain factors to achieve dynamic linearization of the nonlinear model. A power oscillation damping controller for interconnected power systems was designed on a backstepping-fractional order sliding mode variable structure control theory (BFSMC). Compared with traditional methods, the controller exhibits good dynamic performance and strong robustness. Simulations involving a four-generator two-area and partial test system of Northeast China were conducted under various disturbances to prove the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed damping control method.Energies 2017, 10, 676 2 of 23 which exhibits parametric uncertainties and is strongly nonlinear. The operating conditions of such systems change constantly, and thus a conventional PSS controller cannot satisfy system requirements.The linear system control method is based on an accurate model and does not exhibit robustness with the parameters. To compensate for its shortcomings, nonlinear theory is applied to develop a POD controller. The backstepping approach is designed on the Lyapunov nonlinear method; its control function and Lyapunov function can be flexible in selection. This ensures the gradual stability of the disturbance nonlinear system; therefore, this method has been widely used in nonlinear system control [12,13]. However, this method has poor effects on the discontinuous disturbance of the system and nonlinear parameter perturbation.In recent years, fractional order control has been applied in power systems [14][15][16]. Its main characteristics are high control precision and ease of application. Fractional order sliding mode variable structure control theory (FSMC) has nothing to do with parameter and disturbance. This method has the advantages of fast response speed, robustness, simple structure [17][18][19]. Compared to the integer order, fractional order control has higher control precision, and the system can be more accurately modeled, but this method requires pseudo-linear processing of the original system model. In this paper, the controller was designed based on combining the advantages of the backstepping method and FSMC theory.The sliding mode control method is more effective for linear parts of systems, but it has difficulty in dealing with nonlinear parts. Multi-generator power systems are complex and stochastic multi-variable nonlinear systems. As stated earlier, designing a controller by traditional methods is difficult, as such controllers are greatly affected b...