As the integration of inverter-based resources (IBRs) into power grids has increased, oscillations due to controller mistuning or malfunctioning have become increasingly prevalent. Controller issues vary widely, from problems with individual devices to complex interactions between device-level and plant-level controllers. These oscillations can serve as critical indicators of underlying issues that demand attention from generation owners. Unfortunately, these disturbances can be subtle, and traditional monitoring systems, at both the
transmission- and generation-owner levels, often fail to detect them.
In this paper, we present a wide-area monitoring system deployed at Dominion Energy (Virginia). The utility has installed a large number of digital fault recorders (DFRs) with synchrophasor streaming capability across Virginia and North Carolina. These devices monitor hundreds of solar farms, data centers, substations, and distribution centers. With such a large amount of streaming data, it is essential to have software capable of automatic data analysis, easy asset navigation, and user notifications when events occur.
This paper focuses on the oscillation detection application of the system. The primary function of this system is to automatically identify oscillations, promptly notify relevant stakeholders, and facilitate easy, thorough investigation of the events. The oscillation detection system analyzes synchrophasor data and produces results that are easy to understand for operators and engineers.
The paper then describes in detail several specific IBR oscillation cases, including the analysis of the underlying cause of oscillations. This event analysis and description of the utility’s lessons learned provide insights for ensuring reliable power system operation in the presence of IBRs.