Guest editorial: special issue on wide area monitoring, protection and control in smart grid

Complexity of modern electrical power systems is steadily increasing. This is inspiring researchers and developers to propose new solutions capable to address a number of challenges, particularly those related to power system operation. A massive penetration of asynchronously connected renewable energy generation, the generation connected over inverters, is significantly changing the dynamics of modern power systems. From one hand, the power system response time is becoming shorter and at the same time the fault level is becoming smaller. This is significantly affecting requirements of control loops, as well as power system protection. Utilization of modern sensor and communication technology looks to be the critical technological enabler for addressing the mentioned challenges. In this context, development of Wide Area Monitoring, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) systems, based on Synchronized Measurement Technology represented by Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs), looks to be a part of the solution. This MPCE Special Issue is focused on those solutions, which will contribute to a more reliable, economical and secure operation of future smart grids. They are addressed in eighteen manuscripts, briefly discussed below.