On-line control of DERs to enhance the dynamic thermal rating of transmission lines

Abstract

The increasing penetration of variable distributed generation causes the transmission lines to operate closer to their design thermal limits. In this context, Dynamic Thermal Rating is a very promising technique, since it permits a better exploitation of the real capability margins of the infrastructures and eliminate network congestions. In this vein, the article proposes a novel control strategy that allows maintaining the conductor temperature of a given line within its thermal limit through the real-time curtailment of distributed energy resources in the network. The impact of weather volatility and measurement uncertainty on the dynamic response of the controller is evaluated. A comprehensive case study, based on a real-world Italian sub-transmission system and measurement data serve to illustrate the dynamic behavior of the proposed controller. The effect of measurement noise and delays is also discussed. Finally, the performance of the proposed control strategy is compared with a conventional robust optimal power flow approach.