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Forced Oscillation in Power System: Detecting the Unseen Threat

Forced Oscillation in Power System: Detecting the Unseen Threat


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Forced oscillation in power systems is a significant phenomenon that can have substantial implications for the stability and efficiency of the power grid. Here are some reasons why it’s important:

  1. System Stability: Forced oscillations can cause instability in the power system. If the frequency of the forced oscillation is close to the natural frequency of the system, it can lead to resonance, causing large swings in system variables, which can potentially lead to system instability.

  2. Operational Efficiency: Forced oscillations can affect the operational efficiency of the power system. They can cause unnecessary power losses and reduce the overall efficiency of the power transmission and distribution.

  3. Equipment Health: Continuous forced oscillations can lead to increased wear and tear on power system equipment, reducing their lifespan and increasing maintenance costs.

  4. Power Quality: Forced oscillations can degrade the quality of power delivered to the end users. They can cause voltage and frequency deviations, leading to poor power quality.

Understanding and mitigating forced oscillations is therefore crucial for maintaining the reliability, stability, and efficiency of power systems. This is why significant research, like the paper you shared, is being conducted in this area. The paper discusses methods for detecting and discriminating forced oscillation from modal oscillation, which can help in better monitoring and control of power systems. Mitigating forced oscillations in power systems involves a combination of strategies:

  1. Correcting or Disconnecting the Disturbance Sources: The source of the forced oscillation, such as a malfunctioning device or a poorly controlled load, should be corrected or disconnected to eliminate the disturbance.

  2. Moving the Disturbance Frequency Away from Natural Frequency: The frequency of the forced disturbance can be adjusted so that it is not close to the natural frequency of the system. This can prevent resonance, which can amplify the oscillation.

  3. Reducing the Amplitude of Disturbance: The amplitude of the forced disturbance can be reduced, for example, by using damping devices or by adjusting the settings of power system devices.

  4. Improving the Damping Ratio of System Mode: The damping ratio of the system mode can be improved, for example, by using power system stabilizers or by optimizing the settings of power system controllers.

  5. Monitoring and Control: Advanced monitoring and control systems can be used to detect and mitigate forced oscillations in real-time. These systems can use algorithms to analyze the oscillation patterns and take corrective actions.

These strategies can help maintain the stability and efficiency of power systems, and ensure the quality of power delivered to the end users. It’s important to note that the choice of mitigation strategy depends on the specific characteristics of the power system and the nature of the forced oscillation. Mitigating forced oscillations in power systems can be challenging due to several reasons:

  1. Identifying the Source: The source of the forced oscillation may not be immediately apparent, especially in large and complex power systems. It requires sophisticated monitoring and diagnostic tools to accurately identify the source of the disturbance.

  2. System Complexity: Power systems are highly interconnected and dynamic. Changes made to mitigate forced oscillations in one part of the system can have unintended consequences elsewhere. This makes the mitigation process complex and requires careful planning and coordination.

  3. Cost: Implementing mitigation measures such as installing damping devices or upgrading control systems can be costly. It requires a cost-benefit analysis to determine the most economical solution.

  4. Real-Time Response: Forced oscillations can occur suddenly and require a quick response to prevent system instability. This requires real-time monitoring and control systems, which can be challenging to implement and maintain.

  5. Regulatory and Policy Issues: Mitigation measures may require changes to operational procedures, equipment standards, or regulatory policies. These changes can take time and require coordination among various stakeholders, including utilities, regulators, and equipment manufacturers.

Despite these challenges, significant progress is being made in developing effective strategies and technologies for mitigating forced oscillations in power systems. Research and development in this area continue to be a high priority in the power industry. Implementing real-time monitoring and control systems in power systems involves several key steps:

  1. Data Acquisition: This involves the use of advanced metering systems to collect real-time data on various parameters of the power system, such as voltage, current, frequency, and power factor.

  2. Communication Infrastructure: A robust communication infrastructure is needed to transmit the collected data from the metering devices to a central control center. This can be achieved through wired or wireless networks, or through the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

  3. Data Processing and Analysis: The collected data needs to be processed and analyzed in real-time to detect any anomalies or disturbances in the power system. This can involve the use of advanced computational algorithms and machine learning techniques.

  4. Control Actions: Based on the results of the data analysis, appropriate control actions need to be taken to maintain the stability and reliability of the power system. This can involve adjusting the settings of power system devices or activating protective measures in response to detected disturbances.

  5. User Interface: A user-friendly interface is needed for system operators to monitor the status of the power system and to implement control actions. This can be achieved through the use of web-based platforms or mobile applications2.

  6. System Integration: All the components of the real-time monitoring and control system need to be integrated into the existing power system infrastructure. This requires careful planning and coordination to ensure compatibility and interoperability.

  1. Data Preparation: Machine learning can help automate the process of data cleaning, transformation, and normalization. This is a critical step in data analysis as it ensures that the data is in the right format and quality for further analysis.

  2. Exploratory Data Analysis: Machine learning techniques can be used to explore and understand the data. This includes identifying patterns, relationships, or anomalies in the data. Visualization techniques are often used in this stage to help understand the data better.

  3. Predictive Modeling: Machine learning algorithms can be used to build models that predict future outcomes based on historical data. This is often used in scenarios where we want to forecast future events, such as sales forecasting, weather prediction, or disease outbreak prediction.

  4. Classification and Clustering: Machine learning can be used to classify or group data based on certain criteria. This can be useful in scenarios where we want to segment the data into different groups for further analysis.

  5. Anomaly Detection: Machine learning can be used to detect anomalies or outliers in the data. This can be useful in scenarios where we want to identify fraudulent transactions, network intrusions, or other abnormal behaviors.

  6. Time Series Analysis: Machine learning uses a technique called time series analysis that is capable of analyzing an array of data together. It is a great tool for aggregating and analyzing data and makes it easier for managers to make decisions for the future.

  7. Feature Selection: Machine learning can help in identifying the most important features or variables in the data that have the most impact on the outcome. This can help in reducing the dimensionality of the data and improving the efficiency of the analysis.

  8. Interpretation of Results: Machine learning can also aid in interpreting the results of the data analysis. Visualization techniques can be used to present the results in a more understandable and intuitive manner.


  • Forced oscillation is a phenomenon where an external disturbance causes the power system frequency to deviate from its nominal value, resulting in oscillations in voltage, current, and power flow.

  • Forced oscillation can be caused by various factors, such as faults, load changes, switching events, wind turbines, and power electronic devices.

  • Forced oscillation can pose a serious threat to the power system, as it can lead to voltage collapse, equipment damage, system instability, and even blackouts.

  • To detect and mitigate forced oscillation, the web page introduces some methods and tools, such as phasor measurement units (PMUs), wide-area measurement systems (WAMS), modal analysis, and damping controllers.

Inspired by Analysis and Detection of Forced Oscillation in Power System Forced Oscillation in Power System: Detecting the Unseen Threat This paper talks about the fundamentals and methods of forced oscillation in power system, which is a sustained oscillation caused by periodic disturbances at frequencies close to or equal to natural frequencies of system modes. Some key points are:

  • Explicit formulation of forced oscillation: The paper derives an explicit expression of forced oscillation in terms of forced disturbances and system mode shapes, based on the solution of system state equation. The expression reveals the amplitude, components and envelope of forced oscillation.

  • Amplitude analysis and mitigation: The paper analyzes the factors that affect the amplitude of forced oscillation, such as observability and controllability of system mode, frequency of forced disturbance, damping ratio of system mode, and resonance and beats phenomena. The paper also proposes some measures for mitigating forced oscillation, such as correcting or disconnecting the disturbance sources, moving the disturbance frequency away from natural frequency, reducing the amplitude of disturbance, and improving the damping ratio of system mode.

  • Components analysis and detection: The paper studies the components of forced oscillation, which include a forced component of zero damping and a free component of system mode. The paper also presents a method for detecting and discriminating forced oscillation from modal oscillation by comparing their differences in component quantities, frequencies and damping ratios.

  • Envelope analysis and detection: The paper explores the envelope of forced oscillation, which modulates the amplitude of the oscillation. The paper also shows that forced oscillation can be detected and distinguished from modal oscillation by visual inspection of the envelope shapes, which are unique for different types of oscillations.

The paper demonstrates the correctness of theoretical analyses and effectiveness of detection methods for forced oscillation by applying them to the 10-machine 39-bus New England test system and a real-life power system. The paper also discusses some limitations and future work of the proposed approach. By Hua Ye, Member, IEEE, Yutian Liu, Senior Member, IEEE, Peng Zhang, Senior Member, IEEE, and Zhengchun Du, Member, IEEE & Microsoft Bing. Subscribe for more, thanks!


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