Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for detecting lightning and using such information to implement appropriate control strategies in an electric power system. In one embodiment, a system may include a data acquisition subsystem configured to receive a plurality of representations of electrical conditions associated with at least a portion of the electric power system. The system may also include a traveling wave subsystem to identify an initial traveling wave in the electric power system and generated by lightning and identify at least one subsequent traveling wave in the electric power system and generated by lightning. A lightning analysis subsystem may perform an analysis of the initial traveling wave and the at least one subsequent traveling wave to determine a characteristic of the ionosphere based on the analysis and a lightning location. An adaptive control subsystem may adjust a control strategy based on the lightning location.

Abstract: A system includes a switch of an electric power distribution system, the switch being configured to receive data and to transmit data, and the system includes a controller configured to communicatively couple to the switch. The controller is configured to create a software defined network by instructing the switch to transmit data to a location, and the controller is configured to generate a set of keys and to provide the set of keys to the switch to enable the switch to communicate data via a Media Access Security (MACsec) communication link, a MACsec key agreement (MKA) connectivity association, or both.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable comprising instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to receive operating data associated with the electric power distribution system, determine whether the operating data matches with expected operating data, generate a connectivity association key (CAK) based on the operating data in response to a determination that the operating data matches with the expected operating data, and establishing a connectivity association based on the CAK.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of sag in a power line. In an embodiment, a monitoring device may include a distance sensor and an operating parameter sensor. A processor of the monitoring device may acquire, via the distance sensor, a first distance measurement. The processor may acquire, via the operating parameter sensor, a first operating parameter measurement. The processor may provide an output signal indicating that the power line is sagging when a combination of the first distance measurement and the first operating parameter measurement exceed a first combined distance-operating parameter threshold.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include an intelligent electronic device (IED) by employing a multi-factor authentication process. In some embodiments, to change the access level of the IED, the user may use the password and additional inputs such as an off-site operator sending a command, or the user engaging a push button or switch local to the IED.

Abstract: Improvements in the functioning of a line-mounted device to calculate a direction to a fault during current transformer (CT) saturation are disclosed herein. The line-mounted device may determine a load direction using voltage and current zero-crossings and a power system frequency before the fault condition. The line-mounted device may determine a fault direction in relation to the direction to the load after calculating and removing direct current (DC) components of a sampled current signal using valid sample pairs obtained during unsaturated regions of peaks of the sampled current signal. The line-mounted device may indicate the direction to the fault. A system of line-mounted devices may be used to determine a faulted section of a power system using indications of fault direction.

Abstract: Systems and methods to estimate trapped charge for a controlled automatic reclose are described herein. For example, an intelligent electronic device (IED) may calculate an analog amount of trapped charge of each phase of a power line based on voltage measurements of the power line. The IED may close a switching device of each phase at a time corresponding to a point-on-wave associated with the analog amount of trapped charge of the respective phase.

Abstract: A test system for an electrical system includes a slot array having a plurality of slots and a plurality of recesses formed therethrough, a plurality of mounts in which each mount of the plurality of mounts is positioned within a respective recess of the plurality of recesses to align with a respective slot of the plurality of slots, a connector port having a plurality of pins, and a plurality of conductors in which each conductor of the plurality of conductors extends from a respective pin of the plurality of pins to a respective mount of the plurality of mounts. Each mount of the plurality of mounts is configured to receive an additional conductor via a corresponding slot of the plurality of slots to electrically couple the additional conductor to a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins via a corresponding conductor of the plurality of conductors.

Abstract: Differential protection of electric power delivery system equipment using a compensated operating signal under spurious conditions is disclosed herein. Current transformers (CTs) may provide spurious current signals under certain operating conditions resulting in unintended operation of differential protection. The present disclosure uses a compensated operating signal during such conditions. The compensated operating signal is calculated using operate current and a difference between direct current content of currents obtained from the CTs. Switching between use of the operate current and the compensated operating signal is based on a comparison of the average direct current content of the CTs and a threshold.

Abstract: Electric power system voltage control and voltage stability may be calculated using energy packets. Sets of negative energy packet sets normalized by a set of positive and negative energy packet sets may be used for voltage control by adding or removing capacitive units. Energy packet voltage indicators may be calculated using energy packets, and used to determine voltage stability. Control actions may be taken depending on the determined voltage stability.

Abstract: A system includes an intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system and a key device. The key device is configured to perform operations that include receiving a request from the TED for communication with an additional component of the electrical power distribution system, establishing a Media Access Control security key agreement (MKA) connectivity association with the TED in response to receipt of the request, generating a security association key (SAK) in response to receipt of the request, and distributing the SAK to the IED via the MKA connectivity association to enable the TED to use the SAK to communicate via a Media Access Control security (MACsec) communication link that is isolated from the key device.

Abstract: A controller for an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to determine that a first switch of the electric power distribution system is a primary switch communicatively coupled to an intelligent electronic device (IED) of the electric power distribution system, determine that a second switch of the electric power distribution system is a backup switch communicatively coupled to the TED, and distribute a first copy of a security association key (SAK) to the first switch and a second copy of the SAK to the second switch in response to determining that the first switch is the primary switch and the second switch is the backup switch to enable the first switch and the second switch to establish respective media access control security (MACsec) communication links with the IED.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a communication link according to a media access control security (MACsec) Key Agreement (MKA). The TED receives a plurality of access control secure association keys (SAKs) via the communication link. The TED receives one or more checked-out SAKs indicating a request to access the TED The TED allows access based on the one or more checked-out access control SAKs matching at least one of the plurality of access control SAKs.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory having instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to determine establishment of setup criteria to operate in a passive mode, operate in the passive mode to communicate data without initiation of a media access control security key agreement (MKA) protocol in response to determination of the establishment of the setup criteria, receive activation data during operation in the passive mode, the activation data being indicative that a media access control security (MACsec) communication link is to be established, and operate in an active mode in response to receipt of the activation data to initiate the MKA protocol to establish the MACsec communication link.

Abstract: Distance protection for electric power delivery systems that include an unconventional source is disclosed herein using apparent impedance independent of memory and cross-phase polarizing. The apparent impedance may be compared with an offset distance operating characteristic. Fault direction is determined by using zero-sequence ground directional logic for phase-to-ground faults. For phase-to-phase faults, fault direction is determined using weak-infeed directional logic. Fault direction may further use incremental quantity directional principles. The distance protection may further determine a faulted loop using voltage logic. The distance protection may select between traditional distance protection and the methods described herein based on the current feeding the fault.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) includes memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to establish, over a communication network of a power system, a connection association (CA) with a receiving device using a MACsec Key Agreement (MKA). The processor is configured to automatically send device management information via the MKA process.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for determining the number of open phases and which particular phases may be open in capacitor bank system. Detecting open phases may include determining a neutral current of the capacitor bank system. According to one detection method, in response to a magnitude of the neutral current being greater than a threshold value, an TED may calculate an aggregate power phasor for the phases of the capacitor bank system with respect to each rotation. According to another detection method, in response to the magnitude of the neutral current being greater than a threshold value, an IED may calculate an individual power phasor for each of the phases of the capacitor bank system with respect to each rotation. Based on the magnitude and angles of the power phases, the TED may determine the presence of open phases and which particular phases may be open, respectively.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable comprising instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to receive operating data associated with the electric power distribution system, determine whether the operating data matches with expected operating data, generate a connectivity association key (CAK) based on the operating data in response to a determination that the operating data matches with the expected operating data, and establishing a connectivity association based on the CAK.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) of an electric power distribution system includes processing circuitry and a memory that includes instructions. The instructions, when executed by the processing circuitry, are configured to cause the processing circuitry to transmit a first data frame and a second data frame to a switch of the electric power distribution system, determine whether the switch transmits the first data frame and not the second data frame, and establish a media access control security key agreement (MKA) based on a determination of whether the switch transmits the first frame and not the second data frame.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods to verify information received from a merging unit. In one embodiment, a system may include a merging unit interface comprising a port configured to communicate with the merging unit. The system may include a commissioning subsystem to receive a unique identifier (“UID”) associated with the merging unit using the port during a commissioning process, to store the UID associated with the merging unit, and to associate the UID with the port. In operation, a verification subsystem may receive a plurality of transmissions from the merging unit and verify that the plurality of transmissions originated from the merging unit based on matching the UID stored in the commissioning process with the UID in the plurality of transmissions, and confirming that the plurality of transmissions is received through the port associated with the UID.