Modeling cascading-failures in power grids including communication and human operator impacts

Most studies on cascading-failures in power grids have focused on modeling dynamics in a single, non-interacting power system. However, a few recent studies have suggested that communication networks and human operators' response also play pivotal roles during cascading-failures in modern smart grids. In this paper, the interactions among three coupled layers in the smart grid, i.e., the power system, the supporting communication network and human operators' response, during cascading-failures are studied. The cascading-failure dynamics is characterized based on a Markov chain model. The proposed model has the capability to analyze how interdependencies among the three-layers impact cascading-failures. Modeling of cascading-failures in IEEE 118-bus system demonstrates the impact of communication network and human-operator response on power grid cascading-failures.