Electric outage detection and localization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016018458-A1
Application number	US-201414332935-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 16, 2014
Priority date	Jul 16, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for localizing an outage in a power grid. An outage is detected in a power grid, the power grid comprising interconnected nodes. At least one candidate network topology (in the power grid) with respect to the outage is determined, and power consumption information and measured voltages relative to the nodes in the power grid are received. Voltage at a plurality of the nodes in the power grid is estimated based on the received power consumption information and on the at least one candidate network topology, and a location of the outage is estimated, based on the estimated node voltages and measured voltages. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of localizing an outage in a power grid, said method comprising:
utilizing at least one processor to execute computer code configured to perform the steps of: detecting an outage in a power grid, the power grid comprising interconnected nodes; determining at least one candidate network topology in the power grid with respect to the outage; receiving power consumption information and measured voltages relative to the nodes in the power grid; estimating voltage at a plurality of the nodes in the power grid based on the received power consumption information and on the at least one candidate network topology; and estimating a location of the outage based on the estimated node voltages and measured voltages.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one candidate network topology comprises a plurality of candidate network topologies; and said estimating of a location comprises estimating an active network topology in the power grid from among the candidate network topologies.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises detecting based on smart meter data.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein said detecting of an outage comprises detecting additionally on a basis of at least one of: at least one customer phone call and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving comprises determining missing data with respect to at least one node in the power grid.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the missing data comprise missing smart meter data.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the missing data comprise at least one of: a missing smart meter reading and a missing smart meter last-gasp message.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said estimating of a location comprises performing an optimization with respect to the at least one candidate network topology.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein said performing of an optimization comprises finding an active network topology in the power grid which presents a minimum cumulative difference between estimated and measured voltages.

10 . An apparatus for localizing an outage in a power grid, said apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to detect an outage in a power grid, the power grid comprising interconnected nodes; computer readable program code configured to determine at least one candidate network topology in the power grid with respect to the outage; computer readable program code configured to receive power consumption information and measured voltages relative to the nodes in the power grid; computer readable program code configured to estimate voltage at a plurality of the nodes in the power grid based on the received power consumption information and on the at least one candidate network topology; and computer readable program code configured to estimate a location of the outage based on the estimated node voltages and measured voltages.

11 . A computer program product for localizing an outage in a power grid, said computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising: computer readable program code configured to detect an outage in a power grid, the power grid comprising interconnected nodes; computer readable program code configured to determine at least one candidate network topology in the power grid with respect to the outage; computer readable program code configured to receive power consumption information and measured voltages relative to the nodes in the power grid; computer readable program code configured to estimate voltage at a plurality of the nodes in the power grid based on the received power consumption information and on the at least one candidate network topology; and computer readable program code configured to estimate a location of the outage based on the estimated node voltages and measured voltages.

12 . The computer program product according to claim 11 , wherein:
the at least one candidate network topology comprises a plurality of candidate network topologies; and said computer readable program code is configured to estimate an active network topology in the power grid from among the candidate network topologies.

13 . The computer program product according to claim 11 , wherein said computer readable program code is configured to detect an outage based on smart meter data.

14 . The computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein said computer readable program code is configured to detect an outage additionally on a basis of at least one of: at least one customer phone call and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data.

15 . The computer program product according to claim 11 , wherein said computer readable program code is configured to determine missing data with respect to at least one node in the power grid.

16 . The computer program product according to claim 15 , wherein the missing data comprise missing smart meter data.

17 . The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the missing data comprise at least one of: a missing smart meter reading and a missing smart meter last-gasp message.

18 . The computer program product according to claim 11 , wherein said computer readable program code is configured to estimate a location via performing an optimization with respect to the at least one candidate network topology.

19 . The computer program product according to claim 18 , wherein performing of an optimization comprises finding an active topology which presents a minimum cumulative difference between estimated and measured voltages.

20 . A method of localizing an outage in a power grid, said method comprising:
utilizing at least one processor to execute computer code configured to perform the steps of: detecting an outage in a power grid, the power grid comprising interconnected nodes; determining a plurality of candidate network topologies with respect to the outage; receiving power consumption information relative to the nodes in the power grid; said receiving comprising determining missing smart meter data with respect to at least one node in the power grid; estimating voltage at a plurality of the nodes in the power grid based on the received power consumption information and the plurality of candidate network topologies; and determining a location of the outage based on the estimated node voltages and via finding an active topology, from among the candidate network topologies, which presents a minimum cumulative difference between estimated and measured voltages.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Basu Chumki
• Das Kaushik
• Finkler Ulrich A
• Hazra Jagabondhu
• Kumar Ashok Pon
• Seetharamakrishnan Devasenapathi Periagraharam
• Singhee Amith

Classifications

• G01R21/133

  by using digital technique · CPC title

• G01R31/088 Primary

  Aspects of digital computing · CPC title

• G06Q50/06

  Energy or water supply · CPC title

• H02H7/26

  Sectionalised protection of cable or line systems, e.g. for disconnecting a section on which a short-circuit, earth fault, or arc discharge has occured (locating faults in cables G01R31/08) · CPC title

• G01R31/086

  in power transmission or distribution networks, i.e. with interconnected conductors · CPC title