Observability, controllability and decentralized control of interconnected power systems (Q804529)

The authors consider a mathematical model of interconnected electric power systems, which, despite of its serious simplifying physical assumptions, has some advantages from a mathematical and engineering point of view. For a two-area interconnected power system the complete observability and controllability for three state-space representations are examined by using particular sets of measurements. First, it is shown (by a rank condition) that the previously considered models are not completely observable. The reason for this lies in the definition of the state vector. It is then recognized that the nonobservable part can be decoupled from the observable part, resulting in a completely observable reduced order system. This new alternative state-space representation of the model is irreducible and shown to be observable with respect to each of the area measurement sets. Furthermore, the design of area controllers based only upon area measurements is then feasible, heading to scheme for which a global-state-feedback control policy is decentralized. Among the benefits is that global stability implies area stability. Results of a computer simulation show that the reduced-order model has the same dynamical and steady-state properties as the original system.