Topology-Driven Empirical Placement of PMUs for Network Observability with and Without Zero-Injection Consideration

The development of the global positioning system in conjunction with information and communication technology has resulted in the development of modern power systems, known as smart grids, which automatically permit the monitoring of energy flow as well as the response to any change in the supply or demand of energy. In order to accomplish these goals, the vector of measurements used in conventional state estimation has been expanded to include synchronized phasor measurements provided by accurate measuring devices known as phasor measurement units (PMUs). This study presents practical empirical methods for optimal PMU placement, which seek the minimum number of PMUs to be installed and their corresponding locations. The data pertaining to the power system topology and the interconnections of buses are recorded in appropriate matrices, which are organized according to the number of branches directly connected to each bus and the probability that each bus could serve as candidate for PMU installation. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is verified on different IEEE test systems in the presence or absence of zero injections (ZIs).