Distribution-PMU deployment and applications in microgrids: the EPFL university campus case

This paper presents the real-time situational awareness system based on Distribution-Phasor Measurement Units (D-PMUs) deployed in the medium-voltage grid of the EPFL campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. The system is composed of: (i) an advanced monitoring and sensing infrastructure featuring 57 D-PMUs and Rogowski current sensors, (ii) a dedicated IT infrastructure for data communication and time synchronization, and (iii) a software platform for real-time synchrophasor data collection, storage, and processing. The main contribution of the paper is twofold. First, it highlights the technical solutions adopted to deploy D-PMUs in this private grid, which can be replicated in similar environments. Second, it provides examples of real-world applications of the system including asset monitoring, fault detection and location, and dispatching of local feeders to address the challenges of such grids.