Delivering accurate and timely data to all

This paper discusses a model-based substation automation application for advanced data availability. The SuperCalibrator concept provides a basic technology to filter all substation data that are readily available by the substation automation scheme. The SuperCalibrator is conceptually very simple. It is a state estimator using a detailed three-phase breaker-oriented instrumentation-inclusive substation model. As such, the errors introduced by the instrumentation are compensated and the estimated values are closer to the actual values of the electric power system. The overall methodology identifies bad data and wrong topologies and quantifies the quality of the filtered data expressed in terms of the expected error in this data. Substation automation enables the seamless implementation of the SuperCalibrator. In turn, the SuperCalibrator substantially contributes toward the promise of substation automation to reliably provide accurate data to all clients. The applications discussed in this article should ignite the dialog and the realization that substation automation can make it possible to dramatically improve our approaches and tools in monitoring, controlling, and protecting the electric power grid infrastructure.