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This paper tackles the key challenges for dynamics, control, and automation of power systems that are imposed by the integration of renewable power plants. First, the current practice of automation and control in large-scale power systems are reviewed. Then, dynamics and control of electrical transmission systems are discussed and the issues associated with the integration of large-scale wind and solar power plants are exploited. The discussion carries on with a focus on control of electrical distribution systems and the key issues associated with the integration of distributed generation power plants. An emerging concern in power and energy industry is the dynamic interaction between transmission and distribution systems as a result of technological and topological changes in power systems that can put their control at risk. These topics are also covered in this paper. In terms of automation, the key challenges and opportunities for accommodation of higher penetration and share of renewable energy, as part of the vision for grid modernization, are explored in this paper. Throughout the discussion, some results from the recent studies are shown. This article is categorized under: Energy Infrastructure > Systems and Infrastructure K E Y W O R D S automation, control, dynamics, power systems, renewable energy, stability 1 | INTRODUCTION Power systems are compounded of hundreds of thousands of controllable and noncontrollable components that function in a variety of ways (Machowski, Bialek, & Bumby, 1997). Hence, this complex process requires a superb automation to sustain the power delivery. In current power systems, energy management system (EMS) and distribution management system (DMS) represent the highest level of automation at transmission and distribution systems, respectively. These automation systems include the supervisory control and data acquisition systems and a set of real-time and off-line power system applications. The automation and control of traditional power systems with centralized dispatchable power plants and also the stability related issues have been extensively studied and discussed in the literature, including the studies by

Operational and planning challenges caused by ever-increasing integration of electronically coupled renewable distributed energy resources (DERs) have become a reality all over the globe. These challenges range from technical constraint violations to malfunctional setting and coordination of the protective equipment and inaccurate operational planning. Moreover, to enable the preconditions for the integration of high penetration of renewable DERs, utilities are faced with potentially huge investment requirements in strengthening the grid assets. However, recent advances in specialized software solutions for integration and active management of high penetration of DERs could turn these challenges into operational and monetary benefits. Hence, if planned, managed, and operated in an optimal way, the high penetration of DERs could be a valuable resource for increasing the efficiency of the overall management of distribution grids. Utility distributed energy resource management systems (utility DERMSs) aim to provide all of these capabilities integrated into a single software solution. In this paper, a utility DERMS concept is introduced, and the capabilities of state-of-the-art utility DERMS solutions for helping the key stakeholders to pave the way towards stable, optimal, and secure emerging distribution systems with high penetration of electronically coupled renewable DERs are explored.

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With the rapid integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), distribution utilities are faced with new and unprecedented issues. New challenges introduced by high penetration of DERs range from poor observability to overload and reverse power flow problems, under-/over-voltages, maloperation of legacy protection systems, and requirements for new planning procedures. Distribution utility personnel are not adequately trained, and legacy control centers are not properly equipped to cope with these issues. Fortunately, distribution energy resource management systems (DERMSs) are emerging software technologies aimed to provide distribution system operators (DSOs) with a specialized set of tools to enable them to overcome the issues caused by DERs and to maximize the benefits of the presence of high penetration of these novel resources. However, as DERMS technology is still emerging, its definition is vague and can refer to very different levels of software hierarchies, spanning from decentralized virtual power plants to DER aggregators and fully centralized enterprise systems (called utility DERMS). Although they are all frequently simply called DERMS, these software technologies have different sets of tools and aim to provide different services to different stakeholders. This paper explores how these different software technologies can complement each other, and how they can provide significant benefits to DSOs in enabling them to successfully manage evolving distribution networks with high penetration of DERs when they are integrated together into the control centers of distribution utilities.

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