Quantification of Cascading Failure Propagation in Power Systems

This paper studies cascading failure propagation in power systems and presents methods for the quantification of important properties of failure propagation. First, the topological properties of cascading failure propagation are examined. This includes an analysis of the electrical distance between consecutive failures, shedding light on the spatial spread of failures. Additionally, the formation of islands in cascading failure processes is explored to understand their topological characteristics. Second, the paper measures the evolution of a power system during cascading failure processes, considering both the topological changes of the overall system and the propagation rates of system loss. This analysis provides a measurable comprehension of how the system evolves and adapts as failures propagate. Third, this study investigates system loss and analyzes the contributions of various failure mechanisms to the overall system loss. Numerical experiments yield valuable insights into the propagation of cascading failures, leading to several significant conclusions. The findings from this research can inform the development of effective strategies for resilience enhancement and risk mitigation.