A review on intentional controlled islanding in smart power systems and generalized framework for ICI in microgrids

Abstract

Blackouts or cascade failures are costly events which may threaten the integrity of electrical energy systems. The Intentional Controlled Islanding (ICI) is the last measure to reduce the undesirable technical, economic and social consequences of a blackout. In case of an emergency, the ICI of Distributed Generation (DG) units is a solution to preserve reliable power supply in a smart distribution grid. In this paper, three important aspects of ICI problem, namely the proper time of ICI (When), its optimal boundary (Where), and its execution method (How) are comprehensively reviewed. After reviewing the basic algorithms and procedures, to find the best (optimal) time, boundary and execution details, the different methods of the mentioned aspects are summarized and discussed. Finally, a discussion about current challenges and future trends of ICI in smart power systems (in distribution and transmission levels) are provided and moreover, a generalized framework for implementation of ICI in Active Distribution Networks (ADNs) and smart microgrids are presented.