Anti-islanding detection using Synchrophasors and Internet Protocol telecommunications

This paper presents a method of improving anti-islanding detection for distributed generation by application of a wide-area measurement system. Present anti-islanding solutions were developed when installed capacity of distributed generation was low. Issues such as nuisance tripping, cascade tripping and poor anti-islanding detection sensitivity common with present solutions could be justified since distributed generation did not represent a substantial in-feed to the national grid. Today, the installed capacity of distributed generation constitutes a significant proportion of system demand. Consequently the problems with present anti-islanding solutions require a solution. This paper will describe in detail how the proposed system achieves this in an intuitive and cost effective manner and has the potential to be a component of a Smart Grid. A wide area measurement system based on Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) technology provides distributed generators with live, real-time, data from secure points on the national grid. This data is communicated via a robust, secure, Internet Protocol (IPv6) telecommunications network.