Intelligent power routers: a distributed coordination approach for electric energy processing networks

The Intelligent Power Router (IPR), a concept based on scalable coordination, is proposed to control the next generation power network. Our goal is to show that by distributing network intelligence and control functions using the IPR, we will be capable of achieving improved survivability, security, reliability, and reconfigurability. Each IPR has embedded intelligence into it allowing it to switch power lines, shed load, and receive/broadcast local state-variable information to and from other IPRs. The information exchange capability of the routers will provide coordination among themselves to reconfigure the network when subject to a natural or man-made disaster. In this paper, we report our progress on six different activities around the creation of the IPR: IPR architecture; Communication Protocols among IPR; distributed controls; risk assessment of a system operated with and without IPR; power system reconfiguration based on a controlled islanding scheme using IPR; and the definition of the power routing as an ancillary service, since the IPR may provide improved efficiency and security in the context of a realistic market structure, such as Standard Market Design with LMP pricing algorithm. Finally, we present our effort to link this new concept to an education plan that addresses the socio-technical nature of power systems and the education needs of the new workforce.