Implementing Power System Protection Algorithms in a Digital Hardware-in-the-Loop Substation

Real-time power system algorithms are necessary for grid advancement, but few practical applications have been demonstrated in a research usability context. The work in this paper consists of implementing a data correction algorithm, its deployment within realistic substation equipment, and the design of a testbed to demonstrate the overall framework and its usability. A digital simulator is used to generate Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data for the algorithm. The algorithm corrects data that has been perturbed by GPS spoofing attacks. Finally, the entire system is visualized on power-utility software, SEL Synchrowave Operations. Considerations and potential issues are discussed and are applicable to digital Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) systems as well as to field-deployed systems. The system is demonstrated with 11 simultaneously GPS-spoofing attacked PMUs in a 21 PMU system. The HIL testbed developed in this paper provides a valuable tool for easily testing a variety of real-time power system algorithms and the communications and control necessary for them operate successfully.