On structural and dynamical factors determining the integrated basin instability of power-grid nodes

Abstract

In electric power systems delivering alternating current, it is essential to maintain its synchrony of the phase with the rated frequency. The synchronization stability that quantifies how well the power-grid system recovers its synchrony against perturbation depends on various factors. As an intrinsic factor that we can design and control, the transmission capacity of the power grid affects the synchronization stability. Therefore, the transition pattern of the synchronization stability with the different levels of transmission capacity against external perturbation provides the stereoscopic perspective to understand the synchronization behavior of power grids. In this study, we extensively investigate the factors affecting the synchronization stability transition by using the concept of basin stability as a function of the transmission capacity. For a systematic approach, we introduce the integrated basin instability, which literally adds up the instability values as the transmission capacity increases. We first take simple 5-node motifs as a case study of building blocks of power grids, and a more realistic IEEE 24-bus model to highlight the complexity of decisive factors. We find that both structural properties such as gate keepers in network topology and dynamical properties such as large power input/output at nodes cause synchronization instability. The results suggest that evenly distributed power generation and avoidance of bottlenecks can improve the overall synchronization stability of power-grid systems.