Evaluating Electrical Asset Health in Digital Substations Integrated with DERs using Complex Network

The power distribution system and digital grid are currently experiencing significant transformations driven by the rapid adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) and energy storage technologies. By harnessing the potential of these DERs and energy storage systems, we have the opportunity to improve the network’s resilience and reduce reliance on traditional energy sources. However, the integration of DERs introduces undesirable current and voltage harmonics in digital microgrids. These harmonics negatively impact the performance and life expectancy of electrical assets. In this study, we propose a novel approach, suitable for digital substations, to assess and monitor the health of assets, enabling the implementation of preventive measures. We use complex network theory to develop a proactive and intelligent asset management system. The proposed framework models the health of assets by analyzing asset aging and evaluating network robustness when the distribution system incorporates DERs. To validate our framework, we simulated the standard IEEE-123 test feeder system and generated the time-series data. We compared scenarios with and without the inclusion of DERs to assess the effectiveness of our proposed approach.