WAMS applications in Chinese power systems

Since the first GPS-based phasor measurement (PMU) unit was invented, synchrophasor technology has developed for more than a decade. During this period many concepts were proposed, for instance, the wide-area measuring/monitoring system (WAMS). It brings great potential for upgrading the supervision, operation, protection and control of modern power systems. In China, this emerging technology also attracts great concerns because of the rapidly expanding scale of many new challenges to Chinese power industry. In this article, we summarize the most recent development of PMU/WAMS in China, with emphasis on the basic architectures and functions of the developed system and the communication infrastructures. The future trend is also discussed.