Design and implementation of a state estimator in a real distribution network

Abstract Controlling and operating modern distribution networks are challenging tasks. The implementation of monitoring systems and the development of tools are helping to address this challenge. State estimators are one of the most promising tools for this purpose. These are used to reconstruct the current state of a system based on measurement outputs, which can then be used to design controllers that can adjust the inputs to achieve the desired output. This article deals with the problem of estimating the state of a real‐world distribution network. A combination of conventional supervisory control and data acquisition is used to estimate the state, together with a synchrophasor monitoring system. The proposed method uses the Fortescue transformation to separate the three‐phase coupled equations into three independent modal measurement equations. Single‐phase estimators based on the extended Kalman filter are used to solve three sub‐problems associated with the sequence reference frame, which correctly capture the transient and steady‐state behaviour of the distribution network. The proposed estimation method is easy to implement and robust to measure model noise and uncertainties. Furthermore, an already‐established distribution network tests the estimation scheme under various conditions.