From Blackout towards a Smart Grid : Prospects of Power System Developments

The paper provides an overview about the large "blackouts" of interconnected electricity grids and measures for their avoidance are discussed. The avoidance of loop flows and voltage collapse as well as the elimination of stability problems are introduced together with the implementation of electrical firewalls. The benefits of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) and FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) for system enhancement are explained.