A Review of Wide-Area Monitoring and Damping Control Systems in Europe

The fundamental changes in power systems have led to an increased complexity in their operation and control. Wide area monitoring systems (WAMS) are considered as a key solution in order to deal with these challenges. In this paper, a general description of WAMS is presented along with a literature review on the topic. Emphasis is given on documenting real up to date applications of WAMS in the European power network. Moreover, wide area damping control systems for power system oscillations are also presented. A description is provided of two innovative WAMS combined with damping control using FACTS devices and Battery Energy Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that are currently implemented in the European network.