Framework for a self-healing power grid

A framework is presented for a high performance IT infrastructure for supporting a self-healing power grid. The need for such infrastructure is accentuated by high volatility and low operating margins driven by deregulation and other factors. This infrastructure is based on a distributed autonomous architecture and a set of coordinated closed loop controls. The architecture is modular and scalable from the viewpoint of organizational, geographical and functional aspects. Autonomous intelligent functional agents, distributed throughout the infrastructure, perform various functions required to address operating concerns. These functions include monitoring, performance and reliability enhancement, and control. The framework for coordinating these functions is based on multiple execution cycles that collectively cover real-time operations of the power grid starting from hour-ahead scheduling to rapid control of power system transients. The scalability of the design is demonstrated through a quantitative feasibility analysis using existing technologies for a very large example power grid.