A methodology based on situational awareness for diagnosing the operation of active distribution systems

The increasing penetration of distributed generation adds variability and uncertainty to modern Distribution Systems (DSs), posing challenges to its safe operation andimpairing the identification of the network operating state. Methods that enable Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to plan and manage the grid more effectively,considering the variability of renewable energy sources, become urgent. In this context, a method based on Situational Awareness (SA) is proposed to assistdecision-making considering operation security, power quality, and network performance criteria. The objective is to improve the perception of events in thenetwork by correctly identifying its operating state to implement control actions according to the DSO objectives. The proposed method is based on three levels of SA:perception, comprehension, and projection. At the perception level, the information to identify the network operation condition is defined through indices. In thecomprehension stage, fuzzy logic treats and synthesizes the indices, defining the system performance, power quality, and security criteria. Then, corrective actions canbe taken with aid of a graphical visualization tool of the network operation at the projection level. The results show that the proposed approach can detect potentialdisturbance situations and help the operator make efficient decisions considering new scenarios and network aspects in modern active DSs.