Introduction and background to Synchronous Unit Testing and Model Validation in the WSCC

This paper presents the introduction and background to the Synchronous Unit Testing and Model Validation program in the WSCC. The disturbances of July 2/sup nd/ and August 10/sup th/, 1996 in the Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC) have had a major impact on the Western Interconnection as well as the electric industry as a whole. The WSCC Modeling and Validation Work Group (M&VWG) and the Control Work Group (CWG) were tasked with developing guidelines for testing generators, excitation systems, power system stabilizers (PSS) and turbine governors for all units greater than 10 MW for: verification of reactive limits, proper performance of the dynamic control systems, and validation of the computer models used for stability analysis. Test guidelines were prepared to provide general information to WSCC Members for performance testing and model validation of the generating units' dynamic control and protection systems. The general information for preparing the guidelines was obtained from practices in the industry and also in published technical literature.