Method and system for AC power grid monitoring

1. A method for substantially real-time monitoring of the operational dynamics of a plurality of power grid components, which are physical entities associated with an AC power grid, comprising the steps of:

obtaining power signal frequency information for the AC power signal at a plurality of known monitoring locations on said AC power grid in substantially real-time by connecting a frequency monitor to said AC power grid at each of said plurality of known monitoring locations;

using a digital computer to analyze said power signal frequency information for an indication that a power grid event has occurred on said AC power grid;

using a digital computer to identify in substantially real-time a power grid component of said AC power grid that is the source of the power grid event using said power signal frequency information; and

communicating the identity of the source power grid component to a third party, such that the third party is able to know in substantially real-time the source of the power grid event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of obtaining power signal frequency information includes:

recording the AC power signal at each monitoring location;

transmitting each said recorded AC power signal to a central data center; and

determining the frequency of each said recorded AC power signal.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting said known monitoring locations such that there is at least one frequency monitor in exclusive proximity to each of the power grid components of said AC power grid.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising encoding said recorded AC power signal with time information, and wherein said step of identifying said source power grid component includes:

ascribing said encoded time information from each frequency monitor to each power grid component; and

identifying the power grid component ascribed to the earliest time information for the power grid event as the source of the power grid event.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of analyzing said frequency information includes:

determining the normal frequency distribution; and

setting frequency deviation alert boundaries from said normal frequency distribution.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of analyzing said frequency information includes performing frequency data rate of change analysis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of analyzing said frequency information includes performing frequency deviation pattern recognition.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying the power grid component that is the source of the power grid event includes comparing said power signal frequency information to a model of said AC power grid to identify the power grid component that is the source of the power grid event.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising predetermining a matrix of possible events as said AC power grid model.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising using additional AC power grid dynamics information to refine said model of said AC power grid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of communicating the identity of the source power grid component to the third party further comprises exporting the identity of the source power grid component to an access-controlled Internet web-site such that it is available to said third party through a common Internet browser program.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

assigning an alerting status indicator to each power grid component; and

using said alerting status indicator to determine the communication to the third party.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the magnitude and timing of the power grid event in substantially real-time using said power signal frequency information; and

communicating the magnitude and timing of the power grid event to said third party.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising confirming the identity of the source power grid component by comparing the identity and magnitude determination with known magnitude information about said power grid component, thereby increasing the reliability of said component identification and magnitude determination.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting said known monitoring locations such that said locations provide a substantially unique identification of a set of power grid components.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting said known monitoring locations such that a reduced number of locations provide a substantially unique identification of a set of power grid components.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting at least one known location such that said at least one known location provides a substantially unique identification of a particular power grid component.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accumulating information regarding power signal frequency information of interest;

classifying power signal frequency information of interest by characteristics; and

defining algorithms to detect power grid events by said power signal frequency information characteristic classifications.

19. A system for substantially real-time monitoring of the operational dynamics of a plurality of power grid components, which are physical entities associated with an AC power grid, comprising:

a plurality of power system frequency monitors, each said frequency monitor connected to said AC power grid at a known monitoring location for obtaining power signal frequency information at said known location; and

a central data center for:

receiving said power signal frequency information from each of said frequency monitors in substantially real-time;

analyzing said power signal frequency information for an indication that a power grid event has occurred on said AC power grid;

identifying in substantially real-time a power grid component of said AC power grid that is the source of the power grid event; and

communicating the identity of the source power grid component to a third party, such that the third party is able to know in substantially real-time the source of the power grid event.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein each frequency monitor records the AC power signal at each location, and transmits the recorded AC power signal to the central data center, and wherein the central data center determines the frequency of each recorded AC power signal.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the known monitoring locations are selected such that there is at least one frequency monitor in exclusive proximity to each of the power grid components of said AC power grid.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein each frequency monitor encodes the recorded AC power signal with time information, and wherein said central data center identifies the power grid component in exclusive proximity to the frequency monitor having the earliest time information for a power grid event as the source of the power grid event.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the known monitoring locations are selected such that said locations provide a substantially unique identification of a set of power grid components.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the known monitoring locations are selected such that a reduced number of locations provide a substantially unique identification of a set of power grid components.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein at least one known location is selected such that said at least one known location provides a substantially unique identification of a particular power grid component.

26. The system of claim 19 , wherein said central data center has a model of said AC power grid, and wherein said central data center is further for comparing said power signal frequency information from each of said frequency monitors to said model of said AC power grid to identify the power grid event source component.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein said model of said AC power grid contains a predetermined matrix of possible events.

28. The system of claim 19 , further comprising an access-controlled Internet web site accessible through an Internet browser program, wherein said central data center is further for exporting the identity of the source power grid component to said web site.

29. The system of claim 19 , wherein said central data center is further for:

determining the magnitude and timing of the power grid event in substantially real-time using said power signal frequency information; and

communicating the magnitude and timing of the power grid event to said third party.

30. The system of claim 29 , further comprising a database containing known magnitude information about said power grid components, wherein said central data center is further for confirming the identity of the source power grid component by comparing the identity and magnitude determination with known magnitude information about said power grid component, thereby increasing the reliability of said component identification and magnitude determination.

31. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a database for storing power signal frequency information of interest, wherein said central data center is further for:

accumulating information regarding power signal frequency information of interest in said database for storing power signal frequency information of interest;

classifying power signal frequency information of interest by characteristics; and

defining algorithms to detect power grid events by said power signal frequency information characteristic classifications.

32. The system of claim 19 , wherein said third party does not otherwise have access to substantially real-time information about the operational dynamics of said power grid components.

33. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source power grid component is one of the following: a power generating facility, a power transmission line, a voltage transformer, or a substation.

34. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power grid event is one of the following: a trip at a power generating facility or a failure of a power transmission line.

35. The method of claim 2 , wherein each frequency monitor is connected to said AC power grid through a power outlet.

36. The system of claim 19 , wherein the source power grid component is one of the following: a power generating facility, a power transmission line, a voltage transformer, or a substation.

37. The system of claim 19 , wherein the power grid event is one of the following: a trip at a power generating facility or a failure of a power transmission line.

38. A method for substantially real-time monitoring of the operational dynamics of a plurality of power grid components, which are physical entities associated with an AC power grid, comprising the steps of:

measuring power grid frequency at a plurality of known monitoring locations on said AC power grid in substantially real-time by connecting a frequency monitor to said AC power grid through a power outlet at each monitoring location;

using a digital computer to analyze the measured power grid frequencies for an indication that a power grid event has occurred on said AC power grid;

using a digital computer to identify in substantially real-time a power grid component of said AC power grid that is the source of the power grid event based on the measured power grid frequencies and without direct access to the power grid components or operational data from the power grid components; and

communicating the identity of the source power grid component to a third party, such that the third party is able to know in substantially real-time the source of the power grid event.