Impacts of the distributed utility on transmission system stability

The distributed (or dispersed) utility concept is rapidly becoming a reality in some service areas. In this framework, modular generation and storage assets along with selected demand-side management programs are used in place of the more traditional infrastructure upgrades to ensure reliable service to a group of utility customers. From among the many technical challenges associated with the proliferation of distributed resources, this paper deals with the impacts of distributed architectures upon the bulk transmission system. Bulk transmission system transient and small-signal stability are addressed through the use of extensive case studies. Planning tools and methods are discussed, and some general conclusions related to stability issues are drawn