Resilient Dispatch in Synchronous Generator-Based Microgrids for Emergency Situations

When an elevated risk is anticipated for a microgrid, such as adverse weather conditions, live line repairs, potential acts of sabotage, or public events with the crowds close to the overhead lines launching fireworks or objects into the air, there is a benefit to transitioning the system's operational strategy from the traditional ‘economical’ approach to a ‘resilient’ one. The resilient dispatch represents an operational mode that is employed selectively and temporarily in response to heightened risk conditions and is tailored to enhance the microgrid's ability to withstand and recover from failures, ensuring operational continuity. In conventional synchronous -generator-based microgrids, the P/Q dispatch of the generators is controllable and one can leverage this property to set up any required steady state condition. This research developed an approach to optimize the steady-state conditions of synchronous generator-based microgrids with the primary objective of enhancing fault tolerance. By strategically configuring the system's operating condition, the microgrid can respond more effectively and reliably to disturbances, including faults and other sudden load changes. The results of this study, using simulations and analysis, show the potential benefits of this approach. Microgrids adopting the resilient steady state exhibit enhanced stability, reduced vulnerability to faults, and increased reliability for continuous operation.