IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2021 - 51

The range and diversity of changes happening
on the power system are challenging our ability
to make it all work together seamlessly.
Data needs may include phasor measurements and realtime
state estimation to allow the system operator to monitor
real-time risks. Computational and telemetry limitations in
collecting and processing data to conduct real-time analyses
are also important topics within this research program.
Finally, the program also addresses the potential applicability
of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies
and visualizations that provide necessary information for
operators to make decisions (manual or automated) to mitigate
reliability risks.
Making It All Work Together
The range and diversity of changes happening on the power
system are challenging our ability to make it all work together
table 4. Control Room of the Future Research Program questions.
20) How can operators identify critical stability situations in real time and optimize system security?
21) How can system operators get relevant real-time visibility and situational awareness of the state of the power system with
increasing penetrations of IBRs and DERs?
22) How can the system strength, inertia, and limits of stable frequency range be monitored in real time in high-IBR systems?
23) What are the appropriate methodologies to visualize and interpret relevant information for improved decision support for fast
real-time control actions?
24) What quantities must be monitored, screened, and validated in real time to ensure that there will be adequate flexibility
availability from uncertain system resources in the near term?
25) How can control capabilities for IBR-based system assets (flexible alternating current transmission systems, line impedance
adjusters, and so on) and network flexibility more generally be maximized to enhance reliability and/or reduce costs?
26) Are there sufficient flexibilities available in the near term to compensate variations in load and generation (fast changes as well
as long-lasting extreme situations such as prolonged periods of no solar and wind)?
27) How do control rooms address uncertainties in weather conditions that impact loads and renewable energy output and rate
of change (ramps)? How can probabilistic forecasting techniques be better incorporated into real-time operations?
28) How can data best be utilized to ensure that system operations include the ability to detect and mitigate a range of uncertain
disturbances?
29) What quantities must be monitored, screened, and validated to ensure reliable service provision from aggregated flexibility
resources in distribution systems, supporting stable system operation?
30) What type of digital architecture is necessary to enable the variety of software required to operate a control room in real time,
near real time, and in autopilot mode?
31) How can grid topology be flexibly adapted at various operating conditions?
32) What is a suitable data architecture for DER monitoring and modeling? Once DER resources have been aggregated spatially
and temporally, how should this information be provided to the control room? Can DER categories be developed that allow
groupings based on their ensemble response to system-level events? What is the appropriate data architecture required to
monitor/predict and control DERs in real time?
33) What is the communication capability needed to support monitoring and control of DERs? What is the suitability of the
existing communications infrastructure-in terms of reliability, latency, bandwidth, and (cyber)security-relative to investing in a
bespoke system? For DER control purposes, what two-way communication protocols are necessary?
34) What are the relative merits of different control architectures for DERs? What might an efficient distributed control
architecture be for DERs that 1) makes use of appropriate device characterizations and real-time monitoring data, 2) accounts
for practical constraints around device-level communication, and 3) accounts for heterogeneous subgroup controls of DERs and
various existing distribution system operator/transmission system operator control schemes?
35) What is the best way to integrate large data sets, streaming information, and historical system performance to create
actionable operational insights?
36) How can the status (generation output, state of charge, and so on) of each key category of DER be monitored/estimated in
real time? What are appropriate DER categories and the appropriate spatial and temporal resolution to monitor DERs effectively?
What are the appropriate technical means of achieving this level of aggregation?
november/december 2021
ieee power & energy magazine
51
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - November/December 2021

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