Micro-Synchrophasors for Power Distribution Monitoring, a Technology Review

The smart grid revolution is creating a paradigm shift in distribution networks that is marked by new, significant intermittencies and uncertainties in power supply and demand. These developments include the dramatic increase in the adoption of distributed energy resources (DER), electric vehicles, energy storage, and controllable loads. This transformation imposes new challenges on existing distribution infrastructure and system operations for stockholders, engineers, operators and customers. Unfortunately, distribution networks historically lag behind transmission networks in terms of observability, measurement accuracy, and data granularity. The changes in the operation of the electric grid dramatically increase the need for tools to monitor and manage distribution networks in a fast, reliable and accurate fashion. This paper describes the development process of a network of high-precision micro phasor measurement units or μPMUs, beginning with an overview of the μPMU technology that provides synchronous measurements of voltage phase angles, or synchrophasors. Next, the μPMU network and communications infrastructure are discussed, followed by an analysis of potential diagnostic and control applications of μPMU data in the electric grid at the distribution level.