Transmission ITP

System Stability

PJM State & Member Training Dept.

PJM©2018 7/10/2018
 Objectives
Following this presentation, the student will be able to:
• Define stable operation
• Define instability
• Define the following stability modes: Steady State, Dynamic
and Transient
• Discuss the actions that may be taken by the System Operator that will
impact the stability of the system
• Discuss how instability threatens the system

PJM©2018 2 7/10/2018
 Stable Operation
• Definition
‒ Generic:
• Stability is the condition of equilibrium between opposing forces
‒ In the power system:
• Mechanical Power = Electrical Power
‒ Following a disturbance:
• Mechanical Power = Electrical Power + Acceleration Power

• Maximum amount of power that can be transferred without a loss of

synchronism is defined as the power, or stability limit
‒ Critical value of power transfer

PJM©2018 3 7/10/2018
 Stable Operation
• Power System Stability is the ability of an electric power system, for a given
initial operating condition, to regain a state of operating equilibrium after
being subjected to a physical disturbance, with most of the system variables
bounded so that practically the entire system remains intact
• Typical Threats to Stability
‒ Loss of one or more generators
‒ Loss of one or more major pieces of equipment
‒ System faults/line outages
‒ Load changes
‒ Low voltage operation/voltage collapse

PJM©2018 4 7/10/2018
 Phase Angle

• Relationship of Phase Angle to Steady State Stability

‒ Review of power flow equation

Generator Equivalent
Bus System

PJM©2018 5 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability

• Definition of Steady State:

‒ Ability of the system to withstand small changes or disturbances from
equilibrium without the loss of synchronism
• Steady loads
• Steady generation balanced with load
• No disturbances
• Small, gradual changes

• It is assumed a generator’s excitation system is manually operated with

the Automatic Voltage Regulator out of service, or the AVR is slow
acting with a large dead band

PJM©2018 6 7/10/2018
 Steady State Instability

• Steady State instability:

‒ System is forced into a condition where there is no equilibrium
condition
‒ Increase or decrease in phase angle will result in a power
transfer reduction
‒ Instability will result in a loss of synchronism

PJM©2018 7 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability
• Relationship of Phase Angle to Steady State Stability
‒ Magnitude of power flow as a function of angle

PJM©2018 8 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability
• Relationship of Phase Angle to Steady State Stability
‒ Stability Margin

Difference between
operating point and
90 degrees

PJM©2018 9 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability
• Relationship of Phase Angle to Steady State Stability
‒ Effect of varying MW output

PJM©2018 10 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability
• Relationship of Phase Angle to Steady State Stability
‒ Effect of removing one line from service

PJM©2018 11 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability
• Relationship of Voltage to Steady State Stability
‒ Effect of changing machine excitation
• Decreases the phase angle between the internal voltages

PJM©2018 12 7/10/2018
 Steady State Stability/Instability

PJM©2018 13 7/10/2018
 Dynamic Stability

• Definition of Dynamic Stability:

‒ Ability of generators to damp oscillations
• Caused by relatively minor disturbances
• Through the action of properly tuned control systems
‒ Mechanisms
• Excitation control through the use of continuously acting Automatic
Voltage Regulators
• Automatic Governor Control
• Protective Relaying

PJM©2018 14 7/10/2018
 Dynamic Instability

• Definition of Dynamic Instability:

‒ Characterized by hunting or steadily growing oscillations
that lead to a loss of synchronism
‒ Concern is with “negative damping” vs. “positive damping”
• Rate at which the oscillations die out is determined by “damping” torques:
 Friction, windage, hysteresis, and eddy-currents

PJM©2018 15 7/10/2018
 Dynamic Stability/Instability

DYNAMIC INSTABILITY

PJM©2018 16 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability

• Definition of Transient Stability:

‒ The ability of a generator or group of generators to remain
in synchronism immediately following a severe and sudden system
disturbance (initial swing)
‒ Transient stability is typically viewed as first swing stability
‒ The first swing for a generator takes less than a second

PJM©2018 17 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability

• Definition of Transient Instability:

‒ Applies to the inability of a system to survive a major disturbance
‒ Can cause an abrupt and large transient change in the supply of
electrical power

PJM©2018 18 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability
• Equal Area Criterion (Area ABC=CDE)

PJM©2018 19 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability

PJM©2018 20 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability/Instability

PJM©2018 21 7/10/2018
 Transient Stability
• Factors that affect Transient Stability:
‒ How heavily the generator is loaded
‒ Generator out during the fault (Depends on fault location and type)
‒ Fault-clearing time
‒ Post-fault transmission system reactance
‒ Generator reactance (Lower reactance increases peak power and reduces initial
rotor angle
‒ Generator inertia (Higher the inertia, the slower the rate of change)
‒ Generator internal voltage magnitude (Depends on excitation)
‒ Infinite bus voltage magnitude

PJM©2018 22 7/10/2018
PJM©2018
Gen.

75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135

10:00:00
UNIT1

10:01:00
Dynamic Stability

10:02:00

10:03:00
UNIT2

10:04:00

10:05:00
UNIT3

10:06:00

10:07:00

10:08:00
UNIT4

10:09:00

23
10:10:00
Time

10:11:00
UNIT5

10:12:00

10:13:00
Muddy Run - 12/28/99

10:14:00
UNIT6

10:15:00

10:16:00

10:17:00
UNIT7

10:18:00

10:19:00

10:20:00
UNIT8

7/10/2018
 Dynamic Stability
Peach Bottom Units - 12/28/99
Peach Bot #2 Peach Bot #3 Muddy Run Tot Gen.
1150 700
1140
600
1130
1120 500
1110
400
Gen.

1100
1090 300
1080
1070 200
1060
100
1050
1040 0
10:00:00
10:01:00
10:02:00
10:03:00
10:04:00
10:05:00
10:06:00
10:07:00
10:08:00
10:09:00
10:10:00
10:11:00
10:12:00
10:13:00
10:14:00
10:15:00
10:16:00
10:17:00
10:18:00
10:19:00
10:20:00
Time

PJM©2018 24 7/10/2018
 Dynamic Stability
Peach Bottom xfmr Switching - 3/23/01
1200

1100

1000

900

800 PB 02 MW
PB 02 MV
700 PB 03 MW
MW/MVAR

PB 03 MV
600 Slm 1 MW
Slm 1 MV
500 Slm 2 MW
Slm 2 MV
400 MR Gen
Cono Gen
300

200

100

0
7:00
7:04
7:08
7:12
7:16
7:20
7:24
7:28
7:32
7:36
7:40
7:44
7:48
7:52
7:56
8:00
8:04
8:08
8:12
8:16
8:20
8:24
8:28
8:32
8:36
8:40
8:44
8:48
8:52
8:56
9:00
Time

PJM©2018 25 7/10/2018
 Consequences of Instability

• Loss of synchronization
‒ Steady state
• Phase angle exceeds 90 degrees
‒ Dynamic
• Continued oscillations over long periods of time
• Damage to units before they are tripped
‒ Transient
• Excessive rotor angle swings
• Units tripped following disturbance

PJM©2018 26 7/10/2018
 Consequences of Instability

• Operator Actions Affecting Stability

‒ Awareness
‒ Generator MW output
• Decrease MW output to increase stability
‒ Generator MVAR output
• Increase MVAR output to increase stability
‒ Lines in service - system strength
• Put more lines in service to increase stability
‒ Special Relay schemes

PJM©2018 27 7/10/2018
 Stability Guides

• Transmission Operations Manual – Section 5

‒ What do these guidelines contain?
• Unit restrictions for each outage that affects stability
 Tripping schemes
 Generator MW output restrictions
 Generator MVAR output restrictions

PJM©2018 28 7/10/2018
 Stability and the PJM Generator Interconnection Process

• How are these guides developed?

‒ Guidelines are based on detailed stability studies that consider severe
fault conditions (N-1) that occur under each significant outage
condition (N-2) in the area of concern
‒ Guidelines are developed under very conservative assumptions of
generation dispatch and load level

PJM©2018 29 7/10/2018
 Stability and the PJM Generator Interconnection Process

• When are these guides updated and developed?

‒ Guides will be updated every time a new generator locates in vicinity
of problem
‒ Anytime an area becomes concentrated with a large amount of
generation relative to the transmission outlet capability of the area,
a detailed stability study will be performed to see if an operating guide
is needed

PJM©2018 30 7/10/2018
 Stability and the PJM Generator Interconnection Process

• Why are these guides so important?

‒ Guides usually involve several large generators that can easily
be damaged when they are operated out-of-step with the rest
of the system
‒ A generator that is operated out-of-step will frequently cause
transmission lines to trip before the generator itself trips off-line
‒ When several large generators are operated out-of-step, cascading
outages and widespread load shedding can result due to the
fluctuations in power flows, voltage and frequency

PJM©2018 31 7/10/2018
 Stability and the PJM Generator Interconnection Process

• Conclusion:
‒ Stability has not yet become the most significant system limitation
‒ Operators need to be aware of the importance of why stability
operating guides are developed and why they will be updated much
more frequently than in the past

PJM©2018 32 7/10/2018
 Contact Information
PJM Client Management & Services
Telephone: (610) 666-8980
Toll Free Telephone: (866) 400-8980
Website: www.pjm.com

The Member Community is PJM’s self-service portal for members to search for answers
to their questions or to track and/or open cases with Client Management & Services

PJM©2018 35 7/10/2018
 Resources and References
• A. Bergen and V. Vittal (2000). Power System Analysis, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Inc.
• H. Rustebakke (1983). Electric Utility Systems and Practices, 4th Edition, Wiley-
Interscience.
• C. Radhakrishna (1981): Transient Stability Analysis. Retrieved from
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4110615/

PJM©2018 36 7/10/2018