A Practical Approach Towards Inertia Estimation Using Ambient Synchrophasor Data

Abstract: Real-time tracking of inertia is important because it reflects the power system's ability to withstand contingencies and maintain frequency security. This paper proposes a practical approach to estimate inertia using ambient phasor measurement unit (PMU) data and a partitioned form of the swing equation. The approach accounts for (bounded) uncertainties in network parameters and PMU measurements, enabling precise estimation of inertia and damping constants, as well as mechanical power inputs. Instead of assuming constant mechanical power input throughout, the approach leverages knowledge of power system operations to determine intervals when it is actually constant to maintain estimation consistency. Simulation results on the IEEE 14-bus system and IEEE 39 bus system integrated with renewable energy sources affirm the method's accuracy and applicability.