EE 369

POWER SYSTEM ANALYSIS

Asst. Professor Dr. Petter jesus
Power Flow
Tom Overbye and Ross Baldick

Power System Planning

Source: Midwest ISO MTEP08 Report

NR Application to Power Flow

We first need to rewrite complex power equations
as equations with real coefficients (we've seen this earlier):
*

* *
Si
Vi YikVk Vi YikVk
k 1

k 1
These can be derived by defining
n

*
Vi I i

Yik

Gik jBik
ji

Vi

Vi e

ik

i k

Recall e

Vi i

cos j sin
3

Real Power Balance Equations

n

Si Pi jQi Vi Yik*Vk*
k 1

Vi Vk

k 1

jik
V
V
e
(Gik jBik )
i k

k 1

(cos ik j sin ik )(Gik jBik )

Resolving into the real and imaginary parts:

Pi
Qi

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sin ik ) PGi PDi

k 1
n

Vi Vk (Gik sin ik Bik cosik ) QGi QDi

k 1

Newton-Raphson Power Flow

In the Newton-Raphson power flow we use Newton's
method to determine the voltage magnitude and angle at
each bus in the power system that satisfies power balance.
We need to solve the power balance equations:
n

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sin ik ) PGi PDi 0

k 1
n

Vi Vk (Gik sin ik Bik cosik ) QGi QDi 0

k 1

Power Flow Variables

For convenience, write:
Pi ( x )
Qi ( x )

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sin ik )

k 1
n

Vi Vk (Gik sin ik Bik cosik )

k 1

The power balance equations are then:

Pi ( x ) PGi PDi 0
Qi ( x ) QGi QDi 0
6

Power Flow Variables

Assume the slack bus is the first bus (with a fixed
voltage angle/magnitude). We then need to determine
the voltage angle/magnitude at the other buses.
We must solve f ( x ) 0, where:
2

n
x
V2

V
n

P2 ( x ) PG 2 PD 2

Pn ( x ) PGn PDn
f (x)
Q2 ( x ) QG 2 QD 2

Q (x) Q Q
n
Gn
Dn

N-R Power Flow Solution

The power flow is solved using the same procedure
discussed previously for general equations:
For v 0; make an initial guess of x, x (0)
While f (x ( v ) ) Do
x
v
End

( v 1)

x [J (x
v 1
(v)

(v)

)] f (x

(v)

Power Flow Jacobian Matrix

The most difficult part of the algorithm is determining
and factorizing the Jacobian matrix, J (x )
f1
f1 ( x )
(x)
x1
x2

f 2
f 2 ( x )
(x)
x2
J (x ) x1

f 2 n 2
f 2 n 2
(x)
(x)

x2
x1

f1
(x)

x2 n 2

f 2
(x)

x2 n 2

f 2 n 2
(x)
x2 n 2

Power Flow Jacobian Matrix, contd

Jacobian elements are calculated by differentiating
each function, fi ( x), with respect to each variable.
For example, if fi ( x) is the bus i real power equation
fi ( x)

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sinik ) PGi PDi

k 1

fi
( x)
i

fi
( x)
j

Vi V j (Gij sin ij Bij cos ij ) ( j i )

Vi Vk (Gik sinik Bik cosik )

k 1
k i

10

Two Bus Newton-Raphson Example

For the two bus power system shown below, use the
Newton-Raphson power flow to determine the
voltage magnitude and angle at bus two. Assume
that bus one is the slack and SBase = 100 MVA.
Line Z = 0.1j

One

1.000 pu

Two

0 MW
0 MVR

2
Unkown: x ,
V2

1.000 pu
200 MW
100 MVR

Also, Ybus

j10 j10

j
10

j
10

11

Two Bus Example, contd

General power balance equations:
n

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sin ik ) PGi PDi 0

k 1
n

Vi Vk (Gik sin ik Bik cosik ) QGi QDi 0

k 1

For bus two, the power balance equations are

(load real power is 2.0 per unit,
while reactive power is 1.0 per unit):
V2 V1 (10sin 2 ) 2.0 0
V2 V1 ( 10cos 2 ) V2 (10) 1.0 0
2

12

Two Bus Example, contd

P2 ( x ) 2.0

V2 (10sin 2 ) 2.0

Q2 ( x ) 1.0

V2 ( 10cos 2 ) V2 (10) 1.0

2

Now calculate the power flow Jacobian

P2 ( x ) P2 ( x )
2

V2

J(x)
Q2 ( x ) Q2 ( x )
2

V2
10sin 2
10 V2 cos 2

10
V
sin

10cos

20
V
2
2
2
2

13

Two Bus Example, First Iteration

For v 0, guess x

(0)

2(0)
(0)
V2

0
1 . Calculate:

V2(0) (10sin 2(0) ) 2.0

f (x (0) )
V (0) ( 10cos (0) ) V (0) 2 (10) 1.0
2
2
2

10 V2(0) cos 2(0)

J (x (0) )
10 V2(0) sin 2(0)

10 0

(0)
(0) 0 10

10cos 2 20 V2
10sin 2(0)

Solve x

(1)

2.0

1.0

0 10 0 2.0

1.0
1
0
10

0.2

0.9

14

Two Bus Example, Next Iterations

0.9(10sin( 0.2)) 2.0

0.212
f (x )
0.279
2

0.9( 10cos( 0.2)) 0.9 10 1.0

8.82 1.986
(1)
J (x )

1.788
8.199

(1)

0.2 8.82 1.986 0.212

0.233
(2)
x

0.9

1.788
8.199
0.279
0.8586

0.0145
0.236
(2)
(3)
f (x )
x

0.0190
0.8554

f (x

(3)

0.0000906
)
Close enough! V2 0.8554 13.52

0.0001175
15

Two Bus Solved Values

Once the voltage angle and magnitude at bus 2 are
known we can calculate all the other system values,
such as the line flows and the generator reactive
power output
200.0 MW
168.3 MVR

One

-200.0 MW
-100.0 MVR

Line Z = 0.1j

1.000 pu
200.0 MW
168.3 MVR

Two

0.855 pu -13.522 Deg

200 MW
100 MVR

16

Two Bus Case Low Voltage Solution

This case actually has two solutions! The second
"low voltage" is found by using a low initial guess.
Set v 0, guess x

(0)

. Calculate:

0.25

V2(0) (10sin 2(0) ) 2.0

2
(0)

f (x )

2
V (0) ( 10cos (0) ) V (0) (10) 1.0 0.875
2
2
2

10 V2(0) cos 2(0)

J (x (0) )
10 V2(0) sin 2(0)

2.5 0

(0)
(0) 0

10cos 2 20 V2
10sin 2(0)

17

Low Voltage Solution, cont'd

1

0 2.5 0 2
0.8
Solve x

0.25
0

0.875
0.075

1.462 (2) 1.42

0.921
(2)
(3)
f (x )
x
x

0.534
0.2336
0.220

(1)

Low voltage solution

200.0 MW
831.7 MVR

One

-200.0 MW
-100.0 MVR

Line Z = 0.1j

1.000 pu
200.0 MW
831.7 MVR

Two

0.261 pu -49.914 Deg

200 MW
100 MVR
18

PV Buses
Since the voltage magnitude at PV buses is
fixed there is no need to explicitly include
these voltages in x nor write the reactive
power balance equations:
the reactive power output of the generator
varies to maintain the fixed terminal voltage
(within limits), so we can just set the reactive
power product to whatever is needed.
An alternative is these variations/equations can
be included by just writing the explicit voltage
constraint for the generator bus:
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|Vi | Vi setpoint = 0

Three Bus PV Case Example

For this three bus case we have
2
x 3

V2

P2 (x) PG 2 PD 2
f (x) P3 (x) PG 3 PD3 0

Q2 (x) QD 2
Line Z = 0.1j

0.941 pu
One
170.0 MW
68.2 MVR

1.000 pu

Line Z = 0.1j

Three

Two

Line Z = 0.1j

-7.469 Deg
200 MW
100 MVR

1.000 pu
30 MW
63 MVR

20

PV Buses
With Newton-Raphson, PV buses means that
there are less unknown variables we need to
calculate explicitly and less equations we need
to satisfy explicitly.
Reactive power balance is satisfied implicitly
by choosing reactive power production to be
whatever is needed, once we have a solved
case (like real power at the slack bus).
Contrast to Gauss iterations where PV buses
complicated the algorithm.

21

Modeling Voltage Dependent Load

So far we've assumed that the load is independent of
the bus voltage (i.e., constant power). However, the
power flow can be easily extended to include voltage
dependence with both the real and reactive load. This
is done by making PDi and QDi a function of Vi :
n

Vi Vk (Gik cosik Bik sin ik ) PGi PDi ( Vi ) 0

k 1
n

Vi Vk (Gik sin ik Bik cosik ) QGi QDi ( Vi ) 0

k 1

22

Voltage Dependent Load Example

In previous two bus example now assume the load is
constant impedance, with corresponding per unit
admittance of 2.0 j1.0 :
P2 ( x ) 2.0 V2 V2 (10sin 2 ) 2.0 V2
2

Q2 ( x ) 1.0 V2 V2 ( 10cos 2 ) V2 (10) 1.0 V2 0

2

Now calculate the power flow Jacobian

10 V2 cos 2
J(x)
10 V2 sin 2

10sin 2 4.0 V2

10cos 2 20 V2 2.0 V2
23

Voltage Dependent Load, cont'd

Again for v 0, guess x

(0)

2(0) 0
(0) . Calculate:
V2 1

(0)
(0)
(0) 2

V2 (10sin 2 ) 2.0 V2
2.0
(0)

f (x )

2
2
(0)
(0)
(0)
(0) 1.0
(10) 1.0 V2
V2 ( 10cos 2 ) V2
10 4
(0)
J (x )

0
12

Solve x

(1)

0 10 4 2.0

1.0
1
0
12

0.1667

0.9167

24

Voltage Dependent Load, cont'd

With constant impedance load the MW/MVAr load at
bus 2 varies with the square of the bus 2 voltage
magnitude. This if the voltage level is less than 1.0,
the load is lower than 200/100 MW/MVAr.
160.0 MW
120.0 MVR

One

-160.0 MW
-80.0 MVR

Line Z = 0.1j

1.000 pu
160.0 MW
120.0 MVR

Two

0.894 pu
-10.304 Deg
160 MW
80 MVR

In practice, load is the sum of constant power,

constant impedance, and, in some cases,
constant current load terms: ZIP load.

25

Solving Large Power Systems

Most difficult computational task is inverting the
Jacobian matrix (or solving the update equation):
factorizing a full matrix is an order n3 operation, meaning
the amount of computation increases with the cube of
the size of the problem.
this amount of computation can be decreased
substantially by recognizing that since Ybus is a sparse
matrix, the Jacobian is also a sparse matrix.
using sparse matrix methods results in a computational
order of about n1.5.
this is a substantial savings when solving systems with
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tens of thousands of buses.

Newton-Raphson Power Flow

Advantages
fast convergence as long as initial guess is close to
solution
large region of convergence

Disadvantages
each iteration takes much longer than a Gauss-Seidel
iteration
more complicated to code, particularly when
implementing sparse matrix algorithms

Newton-Raphson algorithm is very common in

power flow analysis.
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