Defining power network zones from measures of electrical distance

This paper describes new methods for dividing a power network into zones, such that buses are electrically close to other buses within zones. Defining zones based on electrical distance rather than asset ownership or historical affiliation has the potential to improve the utility of planning procedures, such as Load Deliverability Assessment, that are based on zone boundaries. The paper describes a set of metrics for the quality of a given zoning outcome and outlines methods that use these measures to produce improved zonal boundaries. Preliminary results from an exploratory study of the US Mid-Atlantic (PJM Interconnection) power grid illustrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.