Abstract
Synchronous electric clocks utilize power grid frequency as their timing reference. Power grid frequency deviation away from its nominal value results in synchronous electric clocks running fast or running slow (also known as the time error). In this article, statistical analysis on time error of synchronous electric clocks around the world is firstly presented using the power grid frequency measurements recorded by the wide-area frequency monitoring network FNET/GridEye. Then, the time error correction (TEC) process provided by electric utilities is analyzed and the worldwide TEC practice is investigated. Eventually, regions of the world where electric utilities provide TEC service are differentiated from those without TEC services. Analytical results demonstrate that the average time error of synchronous electric clocks in North America seems to be less than five seconds, and it has not changed very much over the past few years. On the other hand, the identification results present that up to the end of 2016, many electric utilities around the world, especially in North America and Europe, provided the TEC service to periodically remove the accumulative time error of synchronous electric clocks.
Highlights
A synchronous electric clock is powered by electricity and synchronous to the power line frequency
An important reason for the popularity of synchronous electric clocks around the world is that the power grid frequency, as a clock timing source with almost zero cost, reliable performance and high accuracy, is generally accessible anywhere and anytime, as long as there are power transmission lines in service [3]
Slow time error correction (TEC) service is used for a negative accumulative time error
Summary
A synchronous electric clock is powered by electricity and synchronous to the power line frequency. We used frequency measurements collected by the wide-area frequency monitoring network, FNET/GridEye, to carry out the detailed statistical analysis on the time error of synchronous electric clocks in both North American and worldwide power grids. As a pilot wide-area measurement system (WAMS) system, FNET/GridEye has been monitoring the U.S power grids and other worldwide power grids for more than a decade Using those valuable measurements, the time error correction (TEC) service provided by electric utilities was investigated through the data-driven approach. 50 Hz unit (PMU), is the 4main sensor of the FNET/GridEye [21]
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