Wide-area power system frequency measurement applications

Synchronized phasor measurements can reveal important insights about the health and stability of the power grid in near-real time. Unfortunately, the high cost associated with the installation of phasor measurement units (PMUs) has limited their adoption in the electric utility industry. The Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET) was created to provide low-cost, high-accuracy frequency and voltage phase angle measurements from the 120-V distribution level. Using widely-deployed Frequency Disturbance Recorders, FNET provides a system-wide view of the grid that is unavailable anywhere else. This paper describes the physical structure of the FNET system, as well applications that make use of its data.