Power System Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET) Implementation

TLDR

Frequency dynamics are a critical indicator of power system status, and accurate wide‑area measurements are essential for understanding system behavior, prompting the development of the GPS‑synchronized FNET concept in 2000. This paper summarizes the implementation of the FNET system and presents preliminary observations and analyses of the collected data. The FNET comprises frequency disturbance recorders linked to an information management system that synchronizes data via GPS. The FNET enabled cost‑effective, real‑time, synchronized monitoring of the entire U.S.

Abstract

Frequency dynamics is one of the most important measures of an electrical power system status. To better understand power system dynamics, an accurately measured wide-area frequency is needed. The concept of building an Internet-based real-time GPS-synchronized wide-area frequency monitoring network (FNET) was proposed in 2000 by Qiu et al., and this concept has been realized. The FNET system consists of frequency disturbance recorders and an information management system. The FNET has made the synchronized observations of the entire U.S. power network possible with very little cost for the first time. This paper summarizes the implementation of the FNET system and shows some preliminary observations and analyses of the data that have been collected from the FNET.