Distributed predictive control of the 7-machine CIGRÉ power system

Stable operation of the future electrical power system will require efficient techniques for supply-demand balancing, i.e., load-frequency control, due to liberalization of electrical energy production. Currently, there is a growing interest for asymptotically stabilizing the grid frequency via model predictive control (MPC). However, the centralized implementation of standard MPC is hampered by the scale and complexity of power networks. In this paper we therefore evaluate the suitability of a scalable, distributed Lyapunov-based MPC algorithm as an alternative to conventional balancing techniques. The approach is particularly suited for large-scale power networks, as it employs only local information and limited communication between directly-coupled generator buses to provide a stabilizing control action. The effectiveness of the distributed control scheme is assessed by simulating it in closed-loop with the 7-machine CIGRÉ benchmark system.