Load modeling in synthetic electric grids

Synthetic electric grids provide full availability of large-scale realistic test cases to power system researchers without confidentiality concerns. As many power system studies require load information, it is important to have bus level variation modeled in these synthetic test cases. This paper presents a methodology for bus level static load modeling in synthetic electric grid test cases. A realistic load composition ratio for residential, commercial and industrial sectors is assigned to each bus according to the real electric grid data. Multiple normalized template load curves for each load type are created and assigned statically to each bus. The load composition ratio and load templates are then combined and scaled to a footprint electric grid to obtain the bus level load curve for the whole year. The methodology is illustrated in 2000-bus test case and validated using public ERCOT data. A unit commitment solution using the synthetic load is also presented as an application.