Protection of Distribution Grid with DER and IEEE1547.2-2023 Protection Guidance

The objective of this paper is to inform utility protection engineers about updated practices to protect the distribution grid with distributed energy resources (DER) in coordination with bulk power system reliability needs by reviewing specific terms and concepts from IEEE Std 1547™-2018. Standards like IEEE 1547-2018 specify minimum technical capability and performance requirements for interconnection and interoperability. IEEE Std. 1547-2018 specifies DER equipment and requirements to meet the challenges of high DER penetration futures. Distribution utility protection engineers may not have fully recognized and embraced the necessary coordination of distribution protection schemes to support the integration of DERs in this transformation of modern power systems. The guidance provided in this paper builds on protection guidance provided in IEEE Std 1547.2™-2023, a new Guide for Application of IEEE Std 1547™-2018 that is expected to be published in 2024. While much of the protection information provided here applies to any technology of DER, a focus is placed on inverter-based, distribution-connected generation and storage.