COMPUTING AN OPTIMUM DIRECTION IN CONTROL SPACE TO AVOID SADDLE NODE BIFURCATION AND VOLTAGE COLLAPSE IN ELECTRIC-POWER SYSTEMS

This note computes an optimum direction of controls to avoid power system voltage collapse. That is, given a load power forecast, we compute the sensitivity with respect to controls of a load power margin measuring proximity to voltage collapse. The computation is simple enough to contribute to the practical planning and control of a power system to avoid voltage collapse blackouts. The computation applies to avoiding saddle node bifurcation instability of a general dynamical system.