Disturbance localization in power systems using wide area measurement systems

There are different innovative concepts to localize disturbances with an electromechanical impact in power systems using synchronized frequency measurements from Wide Area Measurement Systems. This paper investigates five approaches, of which four are mainly discussed and one is novel: Gradient Search, Triangulation, Parzen Windows, Probability Circles and Time Distance Ratios. The similarities and differences of the methods are described and analyzed within a case study using publicly available frequency measurements and a dynamic study model. The cases are selected with the aim to point out the limits of the methods and to derive recommendations for improvements to be further developed. The study explicitly shows the challenges of the application and provides suggestions how to meet them.