Factors in Assessing Performance of Wide Area Communication Networks for Distributed Control of Power Systems

This position paper presents research that is being started on the subject of modeling and evaluating performance and related system quality concerns in design of information and communication technology platforms used for power system operation and control. The focus of the project is on how the performance and other quality aspects of such networks interact with modern power control system technologies such as for instance wide area monitoring and control (WAMC) systems. Specifically the paper presents an evaluation and modeling approach based on a set of theoretically grounded factors important for assessing performance of wide area control systems. These assessment factors are used to define the modeling semantics necessary for enhanced models of the information and communication technology platforms. The factors are further represented in influence diagrams, enabling analysis of their inter-dependence with for instance Bayesian analysis. This approach has the potential of offering decision support for design of high performance information and communication technology platforms, while at the same time considering other system qualities. The paper presents an overview of the suggested approach, complemented with influence diagrams describing the inter-dependence of performance factors. The paper also provides an example of application of the approach to a simple control system architecture.

1. Introduction

THE later years of development within information and communication technologies (ICT) have enabled power system control to make greater use of new types of sensors, communication systems, and distributed computer networks. Traditionally centralized SCADA/EMS solutions with local protection systems are merging into distributed control systems utilizing wide area measurements. With this development comes an increasing dependence on reliability, interoperability and performance of the ICT platform supporting this distributed control system. Included in the platform is the communication network, information exchange mechanisms, as well as the servers and nodes providing the computing platform.