Power grid vulnerability assessment based on electrical dissection information of the electric power network

Power grid vulnerability assessment combining the topology and operation state of the power grid is practically valuable for forewarnings and protecting critical links. This paper presents a new method for power grid vulnerability assessment based on electrical dissection information of the electric power network. The electrical dissection information of paths between source and flow was calculated based on the topology and operation state of the power grid. The obtained parameters of electrical dissection paths implied the relatively static fixed topology, and also reflected the operation state of the power grid, which was congruous with the electric laws of electric power network. In light of the electrical dissection information of paths between source and flow, vulnerability indices of power grid were defined, critical links were identified according to these indices, and power grid vulnerability was quantitatively evaluated. The vulnerability assessment results of IEEE-RTS 24-bus power system show that grid vulnerability is determined by the topology and the operation state of the power grid jointly.