Power System Stability

What is power system stability?

The stability of an interconnected power system is its ability to return to normal or stable operation after having been subjected to some form of disturbance. Conversely, instability means a condition denoting loss of synchronism or falling out of step. Stability considerations have been recognized as an essential part of power system planning for a long time. 

With interconnected systems continually growing in size and extending over vast geographical regions, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain synchronism between various parts of a power system. 

The dynamics of a power system are characterised by its basic features given below: 

1. Synchronous tie exhibits the typical behaviour that as power transfer is gradually increased a maximum limit is reached beyond which the system cannot stay in synchronism, i.e., it falls out of step. 

2. The system is basically a spring-inertia oscillatory system with inertia on the mechanical side and spring action provided by the synchronous tie wherein power transfer is proportional to sin (delta) (for small delta; delta being the relative internal angle of machines). 

3. Because of power transfer being proportional to sin d, the equation determining system dynamics is nonlinear for disturbances causing large variations in angle delta. Stability phenomenon peculiar to non-linear systems as distinguished from linear systems is therefore exhibited by power systems (stable up to a certain magnitude of disturbance and unstable for larger disturbances).

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