Visualizing Volt-Var Distributions in Large-Scale Electric Grid Models

This paper analyzes the North American and syn-thetic power grid models by examining their voltage and reactive power output distributions. Histograms are used to visualize this difference. The North American grids, managed by various utilities and independent operators, exhibit considerable vari-ability in voltages and generator settings. In contrast, synthetic grids display uniform voltage levels and centralized control, indicating a simplified design approach. Statistical measures are presented to quantify these differences with the objective of making synthetic grids realistic.