Resilient Community Microgrids with Dynamic Reconfiguration to Serve Critical Loads in the Aftermath of Severe Events

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As part of a collaborative effort among state government, utility companies, industry, and universities, this project is developing an advanced microgrid control architecture. It will be able to seamlessly coordinate with the power grid at multiple points of common coupling, automatically balance load and generation, and provide continuous services to critical infrastructures like hospitals and emergency shelters. The solution is able to detect faulty conditions on a continuous basis, communicate with distributed energy resources, form networked microgrids with neighboring communities when needed, and maintain safe operating conditions at all times. The proposed control architecture will be tested utilizing a unique digital-twin approach in which laboratories will have direct, real-time connections to microgrids operated by the major utilities in North Carolina. A field demonstration at Duke Energy's Hot Springs microgrid is also planned.