Survey of tools for risk assessment of cascading outages

Abstract

this paper is a result of ongoing activity carried out by Understanding, Prediction, Mitigation and Restoration of Cascading Failures Task Force under IEEE Computer Analytical Methods Subcommittee (CAMS). The task force's previous papers [1, 2] are focused on general aspects of cascading outages such as understanding, prediction, prevention and restoration from cascading failures. This is the second of two new papers, which extend this previous work to summarize the state of the art in cascading failure risk analysis methodologies and modeling tools. The first paper reviews the state of the art in methodologies for performing risk assessment of potential cascading outages [3]. This paper describes the state of the art in cascading failure modeling tools, documenting the view of experts representing utilities, universities and consulting companies. The paper is intended to constitute a valid source of information and references about presently available tools that deal with prediction of cascading failure events. This effort involves reviewing published literature and other documentation from vendors, universities and research institutions. The assessment of cascading outages risk evaluation is in continuous evolution. Investigations to gain even better understanding and identification of cascading events are the subject of several research programs underway aimed at solving the complexity of these events that electrical utilities face today. Assessing the risk of cascading failure events in planning and operation for power transmission systems require adequate mathematical tools/software.

Development of a Simulation Framework for Analyzing Security of Supply in Integrated Gas and Electric Power Systems

“…Cascading effects of contingencies in the power grid are very complex phenomenona, and identifying the typical mechanisms of cascading failures and understanding how these mechanisms interact during blackouts is an important research area [58][59][60][61][62][63]. Potential mechanisms that might be modeled include overloaded line tripping by impedance relays due to the low voltage and high current operating conditions, line tripping due to loss of synchronism, the undesirable generator tripping events by overexcitation protection, generator tripping due to abnormal voltage and frequency system condition, and under-frequency or under-voltage load shedding.…”

A Comparison of Malicious Interdiction Strategies Against Electrical Networks

“…The state of the art here is sophisticated [63]: modern simulation tools e.g [64] can simulate many of the dynamics underlying cascading failures with impressive granularity. In this space, the triumvirate of Dobson, Newman and Carreras have, separately and jointly, produced an impressive nexus of work on cascading failure risk analysis in power systems [65]- [78].…”

Inter-area frequency control reserve assessment regarding dynamics of cascading outages and blackouts

“…In this respect, the blackout dynamics of the power grid should be appropriately modeled. Various methods have been proposed to model and analyze different aspects of blackouts in long-term, short-term and transient dynamics [9], such as, hidden failure model, OPA (ORNL-PSerc-Alaska) model, Manchester model, optimal power flow (OPF) based model and OPF transient stability (OTS) model. Besides these research models, several commercial tools have been developed in the industry, for instances, ASSESS, CAT, POM-PCM, TRELSS [9].…”