Cyber-power testbed for distributed monitoring and control

The power grid Is becoming Increasingly complex with multi-domain and multi-physics interaction given enhanced automation, increasing DERs, active distribution system and push for resiliency. The centralized control for such a complex system will be slow, non-scalable and prone to failures. The local controllers for such system will be non-optimal, hard coded and not fault-tolerant. The preferred control architecture for such system will be distributed architecture as it is relatively fast, scalable and robust. The distributed architecture supports the power grid monitoring and control for enhanced resiliency and reliability, but need to be tested and validated before field implementation. This paper presents a cyber-power testbed architecture to validate distributed applications in the power grid. Distributed Remedial Action Scheme (DRAS) algorithm is validated using the testbed as an example distributed control testcase. DRAS has been implemented using a distributed computing platform called Resilient Information Architecture Platform for Smart Grid (RIAPS). Developed cyber-power testbed utilizes Real Time Digital Simulator, Phasor Measurement Units and CISCO FOG routers with RIAPS platform. The testbed is validated through online simulations of IEEE 14-bus test system with distributed control under various cyber failures for satisfactory response.