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Feasibility Assessment of an AC Interconnection of the North American Eastern and Western Interconnections

Due to the current severe Texas weather, the webinar has been moved to February 24th.

On February 24, 2021 at 3pm Central Time there will be a webinar by PowerWorld founder Tom Overbye that may be of interest. Even though this is not a direct PowerWorld seminar, PowerWorld was used extensively in doing this study, and some of the newer PowerWorld visualization techniques will be presented in the webinar to show results. The webinar is free but registration is required. To register go to: https://tamu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0kd-ygrTkrHNF8Hz3mKIyoDWQpOkaJQ0bd

Abstract: Except for a brief time around 1970, the North American Eastern and Western grids have operated asynchronously from each other, with power transfers only possible through a few back-to-back HVDC ties. However a recent study has shown that an AC interconnection may be possible. This talk will present the dynamic and steady-state issues that need to be considered in contemplating synchronous operation of such a large-scale grid. The talk will also present new techniques for visualizing the results of the large-scale, long duration dynamic simulations needed for doing this assessment. Finally results will be presented demonstrating the methodology using an 80,000 bus synthetic electric grid and a 110,000 bus actual electric grid model.

Thomas J. Overbye is professor and holder of the O’Donnell Foundation Chair III in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Prior to joining TAMU in 2017 he was a Fox Family Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He received his BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before starting his academic career he was employed with Madison Gas and Electric Company. He is the original developer of PowerWorld Simulator, a co-founder of PowerWorld Corporation, and an author of a widely used Power System Analysis and Design book. He was also the recipient of the Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize for Technological Innovation, a University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award, the IEEE Power and Energy Society Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award, and is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.