Priority-Based Method for Allocation of PMUs in Sub-Transmission and Distribution Networks

The increasing uncertainty in power systems, driven by demand variability and renewable production, has increased operational complexity and brought systems closer to their stability limits. Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) play a vital role in addressing these challenges. Transmission System Operators (TSOs) rely on PMUs during planning stages to validate models for critical decisions, such as setting power exchange limits. However, discrepancies between PMU data and simulations have been observed, and the insufficient integration of PMUs in sub-transmission and distribution networks further complicates the identification of their root causes. This limited integration hinders data accessibility for TSOs, resulting in significant information gaps, especially in systems with Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). Within this context, the main contribution of this paper is the development of an approach based on power flow data to rank the priority of buses outside the main grid for PMU allocation, with the goal of enhancing load models and increasing the TSO’s monitoring coverage. For each operating point, buses are ranked by measurement allocation indices, considering load, DERs, and the electrical influence of predefined disturbances. These rankings, combined with a diversified allocation strategy, suggest candidate buses for meter installation. A proof of concept explains the method, followed by its application to the Southeastern subsystem of the Brazilian Interconnected Power System (BIPS). Results show that regionalizing the ranking is essential for identifying prioritized points in all areas and voltage levels. Similarly, a geographic diversity in the distribution of meters is observed in the results, promoting a more representative allocation to capture particular features of each region of the BIPS.