
224 Chapter 10 Electromechanical Wave Propagation
It can be seen that there seems to be a delay between the frequencies at dif-
ferent points in the system. Similar effects were noticed in a variety of ex-
periments [1, 2]. The event described in [1] was a load rejection test in
Texas monitored with PMUs. The authors state ‘Note the delay detecting
the transient between the point closest to the plant (Venus) and the furthest
(Robinson). There is nearly a half second delay between the onset of the
frequency disturbance near the plant and its appearance at a similar level at
a remote site. The propagation phenomenon is not clear. It is not electrical
in nature because of the time lag. It appears to be related to the localized
electrical inertia in the system.’ A similar staged event in July, 1995
showed a delay of approximately a second between PMUs in Florida and
New York [3].
The second motivation was a desire to display the phasor measurements
obtained in the study described in Section 8.5.1 for the WECC 1994 dis-
turbance. The plot of Figure 10.2 was produced by locating the phasor
measurements geographically on a map of the WECC, making the z vari-
able at that point the angle measurement, and then fitting a smooth surface
to those points. By sampling the phase angles in time a movie of the sur-
face can be obtained. Constant contour lines are shown below on a map
showing state borders and the location of the two DC lines. Since to a first
approximation power flows down hill in angle, transmission lines should
be constructed perpendicular to the constant contour lines. Of course, the
contour map changes in response to system conditions
Fig. 10.2 Phase angle as a function of location.