A control and communications architecture for a secure and reconfigurable power distribution system: An analysis and case study

The transformation of the end-to-end power grid to a digitalized, intelligent, self-healing system presents many new modeling, sensing, communications, and control challenges that must be addressed before extensive deployment can begin. Increasing the security, robustness, and efficiency of electric power infrastructure requires utilizing these automation technologies in order to continually assess and optimize system performance. In this paper, an intelligent distributed secure control architecture is presented for distribution systems to provide greater adaptive protection, with the ability to proactively reconfigure, and rapidly respond to disturbances. Detailed descriptions of functionalities at each layer of the architecture as well as the whole system are provided. Applying this comprehensive systems' approach, performance results for the IEEE 123 node test feeder are simulated and analyzed. The results show the trade-offs between system reliability, operational constraints, and costs involved. This work represents a novel strategy toward developing an analytical and multi-domain methodology to assess the effects of smart grid technologies on distribution system operations and performance.