Impacts of subsynchronous and supersynchronous frequency components on synchrophasor measurements

Phasor measurement units (PMU) are playing an increasingly important role in power system dynamic security monitoring and control. However, the wide-area deployments of the renewable energy sources and the high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission bring a large number of inter-harmonics to the power grid, which may result in further power system security problems. The impacts of inter-harmonics on synchrophasor measurements are revealed. This paper derives the phasor expressions of the signal, which contains the fundamental component and the inter-harmonics. It is found that the inter-harmonics will lead to the subsynchronous oscillation of the phasor measurements. The frequency transmutation principle between the harmonic and the phasor oscillation is revealed. Then, the field PMU data recorded during a subsynchronous oscillation, which occurred in an area of China with a high concentration of wind farms and HVDC transmission lines, are studied. A geographical wiring diagram with the subsynchronous oscillation distribution depicts the severe consequences of the inter-harmonics. In addition, the correctness of the theoretical derivation and the possibility of the inter-harmonics monitoring are verified.