Binary Integer Programming Based PMU Placement in the Presence of Conventional Measurements

This paper proposes an optimal Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) placement method based on a modified version of the well-known binary integer linear programming formulation, which will utilize the installed PMUs and conventional measurements, i.e. active and reactive power flow and power injection measurements, to reduce the number of PMUs to be placed required for system observability. The proposed method applies conventional observability analysis to evaluate the system of concern and to reduce the size of the PMU placement problem. The analysis is followed by the proposed modified optimal PMU placement method. Although the method is applicable to PMUs with any number of channels, the paper employs branch PMUs, i.e. PMUs with single voltage phasor and single current phasor channels, since this is the most common PMU type in industry. The method is illustrated by a tutorial example and validated on IEEE 14-bus and 30-bus test systems.