Generator Aggregation and Power Grid Stability

Stability of power grids in the presence of small fluctuations in frequency is important for the reliable and robust transmission of electricity. Recent research suggests damping parameters can be optimized for each generator in the grid to ensure the strong stability of the network. However, results are typically demonstrated on systems with aggregated “generators” and “loads” as opposed to the full power grid. We demonstrate that, under many circumstances, the response of aggregated systems is very different to that of the corresponding full system. In the cases considered, optimizing damping parameters based on an aggregated system can lead to comparatively poor stability performance when these parameters are applied to the full system.