Power System Oscillations in High Renewable Power Systems: One Example Event and Guide Review

As the energy landscape shifts toward low-emission sources like wind and solar, grid operators face new challenges in maintaining power system stability and reliability. One key challenge is managing power system oscillations—fluctuations caused by demand changes, weather events, equipment malfunctions, and more. With the rise of inverter-based resources (IBRs), understanding and mitigating these oscillations is essential for smooth operations and quick recovery from disturbances.

This event explores power system oscillations with leading experts. It covers practical steps for identifying and addressing the causes of oscillations in IBR-dominant power systems, based on the recent publication, Diagnosis and Mitigation of Observed Oscillations in IBR-Dominant Power Systems: A Practical Guide. This guide offers operators valuable frameworks for managing system stability and disruptions.

The event also highlights the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) collaboration with one of the G-PST system operator partners. The presentation features NREL’s analysis of a significant low-frequency oscillation event that occurred in 2021, and the lessons learned from the post-event analysis and how the grid would react with topology changes and more. This offers a real-world perspective on addressing oscillations in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

Featured Speakers:
Shuan Dong - NREL
Barbara O'Neill - NREL
Nicholas Miller - HickoryLedge LLC