Publications Details

Using Reinforcement Learning to Increase Grid Security Under Contingency Conditions

Verzi, Stephen J.; Guttromson, Ross G.; Sorensen, Asael H.

Grid operating security studies are typically employed to establish operating boundaries, ensuring secure and stable operation for a range of operation under NERC guidelines. However, if these boundaries are violated, the existing system security margins will be largely unknown. As an alternative to the use of complex optimizations over dynamic conditions, this work employs the use of Reinforcement-based Machine Learning to identify a sequence of secure state transitions which place the grid in a higher degree of operating security with greater static and dynamic stability margins. The approach requires the training of a Machine Learning Agent to accomplish this task using modeled data and employs it as a decision support tool under severe, near-blackout conditions.