NASPI News Flash

New! February NASPI meeting materials are available for download. -- Thanks to all for a very informative meeting on the DOE Stimulus Grant phasor technology projects and exploration of the various awardees's intended specs for system design, PMUs and PDCs. Also, learn more about the specs for RFI WECC's phasor technology elements.

February 22, 2010, NASPI Data-Sharing Agreements Available -- NERC has completed development of a set of non-disclosure agreements prepared to protect the sharing of real-time phasor data between PMU owners and grid operators, as well as data access for researchers. These are covered in an overview memo, Industry NDA and Researcher NDA. NERC will be asking all phasor data providers, processors, and users to sign these agreements as a prerequisite for continued data access.
February 9, 2010, Smart Grid Cyber Security Strategy and Requirements; The Smart Grid Interoperability Panel - Cyber Security Working Group, DRAFT NISTIR 7628.
January 29, 2010, NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0, NIST Special Publication 1108.
November 24, 2009, Secretary Chu Announces $620 Million for Smart Grid Demonstration and Energy Storage Projects. Learn more about the full list of awards.
October 27, 2009, President Obama Announces $3.4 Billion Investment to Spur Transition to Smart Energy Grid. Smart Grid Investment Awards (PDF 141KB) and Smart Grid Investment Grant Location Map (PDF 568KB).
October 7, 2009 - TVA has released the Super Phasor Data Concentrator to public as the openPDC. Learn more about the openPDC!

North American SynchroPhasor Initiative

The mission of the North American SynchroPhasor Initiative is to improve power system reliability and visibility through wide area measurement and control.

Synchrophasors are precise grid measurements now available from monitors called phasor measurement units (PMUs). PMU measurements are taken at high speed (typically 30 observations per second – compared to one every 4 seconds using conventional technology). Each measurement is time-stamped according to a common time reference. Time stamping allows synchrophasors from different utilities to be time-aligned (or “synchronized”) and combined together providing a precise and comprehensive view of the entire interconnection. Synchrophasors enable a better indication of grid stress, and can be used to trigger corrective actions to maintain reliability.

The NASPI community is working to advance the deployment and use of networked phasor measurement devices, phasor data-sharing, applications development and use, and research and analysis. Important applications today include wide-area monitoring, real-time operations, power system planning, and forensic analysis of grid disturbances. Phasor technology is expected to offer great benefit for integrating renewable and intermittent resources, automated controls for transmission and demand response, increasing transmission system throughput, and improving system modeling and planning.

NASPI is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and North American electric utilities, vendors, consultants, federal and private researchers and academics. NASPI activities are funded by DOE and NERC, and by the voluntary efforts of many industry members and experts.

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Learn more about NASPI's vision and mission.