Introduction to Smart Power Systems

The conventional power system has limited power‐generation plants or sources connected to the bulk transmission grid and it powers the millions of end‐users across it. It has limited control and visibility of power flows from generating plants to the end‐users. Power‐generation plants or source injection points to bulk power systems have increased to numerous points in recent years. The power systems in the present and future situation/conditions shall accommodate more power from renewable energy sources, capable of handling the bidirectional power flow with distributed generation, wider area monitoring, and control using automatic metering infrastructure, phasor measurement unit; power quality conditioners, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, cyber security, etc. This smart power system has to overcome the problems arising in conventional power systems like control against frequency deviation, poor power quality, and higher energy losses. This modern power grid shall monitor and control the power flows from power generation to end‐users' consumption points in real‐time with the help of grid automation, communication, and IT systems. This chapter discusses the various elements of smart power systems and their operation.