How dead ends undermine power grid stability

Peter J. Menck (), Jobst Heitzig, Jürgen Kurths and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber
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Peter J. Menck: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Jobst Heitzig: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Jürgen Kurths: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract The cheapest and thus widespread way to add new generators to a high-voltage power grid is by a simple tree-like connection scheme. However, it is not entirely clear how such locally cost-minimizing connection schemes affect overall system performance, in particular the stability against blackouts. Here we investigate how local patterns in the network topology influence a power grid’s ability to withstand blackout-prone large perturbations. Employing basin stability, a nonlinear concept, we find in numerical simulations of artificially generated power grids that tree-like connection schemes—so-called dead ends and dead trees—strongly diminish stability. A case study of the Northern European power system confirms this result and demonstrates that the inverse is also true: repairing dead ends by addition of a few transmission lines substantially enhances stability. This may indicate a topological design principle for future power grids: avoid dead ends.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4969

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