International Review of Electrical Engineering (I.R.E.E.

),

Evaluation Rating of Power Flow Based Voltage Stability Index

Ali Zare1
Abstract With the aim of exploring and evaluating power flow based voltage stability indices,
this study first provides the main features of the ideal index and then introduces some factors for
evaluating these features. Afterward five new indices are suggested. Finally, the suggested
indices and previously introduced indices are evaluated by the use of the suggested factors. The
results of simulations performed on 9-bus and IEEE30-bus network show outperformance of the
proposed indices in comparison to the previous indices. Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize
S.r.l. - All rights reserved.

Keywords: Voltage Stability Index, Jacobian Matrix, Power Flow, Singular Value Decomposition

I.

Introduction

Because of increasing growth of load and increase in

probability of voltage instability in restructured systems,
voltage stability studies have received great attention.
Voltage study methods can be divided into three groups:
1. Solving system equations
2. Time simulation
3. Using voltage stability index.
Since the two first methods are time-consuming,
index has been proposed for determining how close a
system is to the instability point. With this regard,
different indices have been proposed [1]-[23]. Each of
these indices has special merits and demerits as well as
different level of accuracy. In addition, the time needed
for calculating each index is also different. Therefore, the
first step in exploring voltage stability is selecting a
suitable index. Since Jacobian matrix consists of all
linearized mismatch power equations, it has all the
information related to the system. Because of this
capability, different voltage stability indices have been
proposed based on this matrix. The most significant
advantage of this group of indices is their simplicity and
the low amount of time needed for their calculation. This
characteristic has led to a large amount of studies
allocated to these indices. For example [3] have proposed
minimum singular value as the voltage stability index. If
Jacobian matrix becomes singular, a little change in
reactive power causes serious changes in the voltage,
showing system instability. As long as minimum singular
value continually approaches to zero, Jacobian matrix
approaches to singularity and hence instability.
Therefore, minimum singular value can be used as a
voltage stability index.
Determinant of Jacobian matrix is also another parameter
that has been used as an index (for example, determinant
of Jacobian matrix has been introduced as an index in
[4]). Other proposed indices include: diagonal element
ratio dependent index, max row sum dependent element,

Manuscript received January 2007, revised January 2007

Euclidean norm dependent index [5].

Comparing the performance of these indices, Canizares
et al. provided a new index from test function family [6].
Although many studies have been done with this regard,
an important issue has not been investigated. The effects
of load type and other dynamic elements such as AVR on
the performance of the index and the ability of the index
to show the effects of these parameters on voltage
stability have received no attention. This issue can cast
doubt upon the accuracy of the results obtained in the
previous studies because in all actual networks, there are
different types of loads and dynamic elements that
directly affect voltage stability. The fundamental
question is whether the indices applied in the previous
studies are able to divulge these effects or not. This study
explores the accuracy and reliability of some voltage
stability indices.
It will be presented as following:
In part II, features of an ideal index are provided and
some factors are introduced for studying these features.
Then some power flow based voltage stability indices as
well as some new indices are introduced in part III. The
results of simulations and also the performance of
introduced indices are presented in part IV. Finally, part
V summarizes the results.

II.

The Ideal Voltage Stability Index

The ideal voltage stability index (VSI) must have the

following features:
II.1.

It must have a linear change trend so that the

linear relationship between the index and voltage
stability can be defined.
The linearization factor (LF) which is defined as
the average of the distance between the read curve
and linearized curve can be used for exploring the

Copyright 2007 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

A. Zare

linearized curve for jth network

n j : total number of pints for jth network

linearity of an index. LF is presented as follows:

x
n

LF

i 1

xi ,linear

NB j : number of buses in jth network

m: total number of network under exploration.

(1)

where,
xi : the real size of index in the ith point

II.2.

The index curve's slope should be relatively high.

If the index curve's slope is high, the index
change exerted by change in network conditions
will be also high. This leads to the higher
accuracy of the index in showing the effect of
each here parameter on voltage stability. The
slope factor (SF) which is used to show this
feature is the slope of the index linearized
curve.

xi ,linear : the size of index in the ith point on the

linearized curve
n: total number of pints( see Fig. 1).
INDEX
distance between the read
curve and linearized curve
real index curve

II.3.

linearaized index
curve

2 3

An index not only should determine voltage

stability margin but also must it be able to show
the effect of different parameters and conditions
on voltage stability limitation. Since the
network conditions are permanently changing, it
is very important that index error in different
conditions does not exceed an acceptable
margin. In this study, the effects of load type as
well as automatic voltage regulator (AVR) on
the accuracy of the index are tested. The error
factor (EF) which is defined as the difference
between the real amount of change in voltage
stability (this real amount is calculated as the
loadability increase rate is multiplied by the
slope of index linearized curve) and the real
charges in the index.

n
total number of
pints

Fig. 1. A typical index curve

Another issue treat should be taken into

consideration about LF is the effect of network
size (i.e., the number of buses) on indices
linearity. An index can have a linear performance
in a specific network but a non-linear
performance in another one. Therefore, for
increasing the accuracy, LF is redefined as the
average of the index performances in several
networks. The result is as following:

LFmid

nj

ij
ij
,
linear
m
i 1

NB j *

nj
j 1

(2)

m
NB j
j 1

where:
xij : the real size of index in the ith point for jth
network

xij ,linear : the size of index in the ith point on the

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

Accuracy and precision of the index in different

conditions should be acceptable.

III. Power flow Based Indices

Power flow equations are defined as following:

P
Q

J
v

(3)

where
J12
J
J 11
,
J 21 J 22
(4)
P
P
Q
Q
J11
, J12
, J 21
, J 22
.

The voltage stability indices based on power flow are

defined either by the use of the Jacobian matrix (J) [1][5] or by using the reduced Jacobian matrix with the
assumption P 0 [4]. This reduced Jacobian matrix is

International Review of Electrical Engineering,

A. Zare

defined as follows:

Jr J 22 J 21J 111 J 12

Minimum singular value can be a relative

criterion indicating closeness to stability.
The results of simulations done in [24]
show that although minimum singular
values increases by installing a FACTS
element, the second or third singular
values decrease. This leads to the
conclusion that voltage stability cannot be
judged based on minimum singular value.
One of the features that can be a good
substitution for this index is sum of
singular values. To give consideration to
the effects of smaller singular values, one
can use the weighted sum of singular
values. Here, minimum value has
maximum weight and other values are
weighted from low to high.

(5)

In addition, submatrix J 22 , which shows the reactive

power change in relation to voltage changes, has been
also use for defining an index.
III.1. The existing power flow based indices that have
been defined so far
The existing power flow based indices that have
been defined so far are as following:
III.1.1. Minimum singular value
In this method, the system Jacobian matrix has
been decomposed:

J USV T

(6)

III.2.2. The difference between diagonal and

non-diagonal values in load distribution
matrix
It seems that the difference between
diagonal and non-diagonal elements is
high when system is stable. This feature
can be used as an index. Two indices
based on this feature can be defined as
following:
(i) The sum of the difference between
non-diagonal values in each raw (or
column) and diagonal element in that raw
(or column).
(ii) The absolute value of the difference
between the average diagonal and nondiagonal values in the matrix.

where U and V are orthogonal matrices and S is a

diagonal matrix. Diagonal elements of S are
singular values of Jacobian matrix. The
magnitude of the minimum singular value (MSV)
of the Jacobian matrix can provide useful
information about how close the system is to the
voltage collapse or singular point [1].
III.1.2. Minimum eigenvalue
This index has been also proposed similar to
minimum singular value. Evidence shows the
similarity of the results obtained from these two
indices [6]. This is rational if squareness and
symmetrically of the Jacobian matrix are taken
into consideration [1].
III.1.3. Determinant
In the presence of controllers the behaviors of
minimum singular value and minimum eigenvalue
are very nonlinear. Therefore, Jacobian matrix (or
the reduced Jacobian matrix) determinant index
has been propose [4].
III.2. Some Features of Jacobian Matrix That Can Be
Used As Indices
In addition to the above mentioned indices, the
(reduced) Jacobian matrix has some other features which
can be used as indices. Some of these features are as
following:
III.2.1. The sum of singular values (or the
weighted sum of singular values)

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

IV.

The Results of Simulation

Based on the definitions presented in part III and by

taking into consideration that most of the proposed
indices can be defined for power flow Jacobian matrix,
power flow reduced Jacobian matrix and the submatrix
J 22 , twelve indices can be proposed for exploring
voltage stability. They are as follows:
1) Minimum singular value of power flow Jacobian
matrix (MSV-Jlf)
2) Minimum singular value of power flow reduced
Jacobian matrix (MSV-Jr)
3) Minimum singular value of the submatrix J 22 (MSVJ22)
4) Determinant of power flow Jacobian matrix (DET-Jlf)
5) Determinant of the submatrix J 22 (DET-J22)
6) The sum of singular values of power flow reduced
Jacobian matrix (SSV-Jr)
7) The weighted sum of singular values of power flow
reduced Jacobian matrix (WSSV-Jr)
8) Standard deviation of non-diagonal values in relation
International Review of Electrical Engineering,

A. Zare

to diagonal values of Jacobian matrix (Std-Jlf)

9) Standard deviation of non-diagonal values in relation
to diagonal values of reduced Jacobian matrix (Std-Jr)
10) The absolute value of the distance between the
average diagonal and non-diagonal values in Jacobian
matrix (DDTR-Jlf)
11) The absolute value of the distance between the
average diagonal and non-diagonal values in reduced
Jacobian matrix (DDTR-Jr)
12) The absolute value of the difference between the
average diagonal and non- diagonal values in the
submatrix J 22 (DDTR-J22).
These twelve indices were used for estimating
voltage stability in simulations of WSCC 3-generator 9bus [25] and IEEE 30-bus networks with the presence of
PQ loads and voltage dependent load and also with the
presence and absence of AVR.

Fig. 2. IEEE 30-bus test system

showing the curves of all indices in one space. The

indices change curves for WSCC 3-generator 9-bus and
IEEE 30-bus networks in different conditions have been
shown in Figs. 4-8.
Here 5 cases for study are defined:
case 1: WSCC 3-generator 9-bus test system with PQ
loads and without AVR
case 2: WSCC 3-generator 9-bus test system with
voltage dependent loads and without AVR
case 3: WSCC 3-generator 9-bus test system with PQ
loads and with AVR for all generations
case 4: IEEE 30-bus test system with PQ loads and
without AVR
case 5: IEEE 30-bus test system with voltage dependent
loads.
Table I has summarized the results of simulations.
The average linearization errors for the two networks
with the PQ loads and voltage dependent load have been
presented in the first and second rows of this table. The
third, fourth, fifth and sixth rows show the slope of
curves related to each index for 9-bus and 30-bus
networks with the PQ and voltage dependent loads.
In addition, the 7th row, the former showing the error
factor (EF) for case 2. The 9th row show, in a similar
manner, the effects of installing AVR on the indices.
Finally, each factor was normalized based on the highest
value in each row. The results of such normalization
have been presented in Table II. Each index can be
evaluated first by weighting to the four mentioned
factors and then adding up the obtained values. Table III
tabulates the grades of the related indices in different
modes of weighting factors.

Fig. 3. WSCC 3-generator 9-bus test system

The results of the indices were compared according

to the amount of linearity, the slope of the curve and
accuracy. All indices were normalized with regard to
their values in the basic operating point because this
leads to the possibility of comparing the indices and

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

International Review of Electrical Engineering,

A. Zare

Fig. 4. 12 indices for 9-bus test system with PQ load and without AVR

Fig. 5. 12 indices for 9-bus test system with PQ load and with AVR

Fig. 6. 12 indices for 9-bus test system with voltage dependent load and without AVR

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

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A. Zare

Fig. 7. 12 indices for IEEE 30-bus test system with PQ load and without AVR

Fig. 8. 12 indices for IEEE 30-bus test system with voltage dependent load and without AVR

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

International Review of Electrical Engineering,

A. Zare

TABLE I
EVALUATION FACTORS FOR CASE 1-4
SV_Jr

SV_Jlf

SV_J22

0.0631

0.0023

0.0209

0.0538

0.0009

-0.5194

0.0033
0.0206
0.0028
0.0041
0.0029
1.2E06

Det_Jlf

Det_J22

SSV_Jr

WSSV_Jr

Std_Jr

0.126

0.0882

0.0079

0.0098

0.0085

0.0089

0.036

0.0077

0.0043

0.0038

-0.1058

-0.5967

-0.4649

-0.1105

-0.2160

-0.3608

-0.4966

0.0415

-0.3315

-0.0184

Std_Jlf

DDTR_Jr

DDTR_Jlf

DDTR_J22

0.0085

0.0134

0.0083

0.0173

0.0066

0.0078

0.0137

0.0078

0.0149

-0.14092

-0.1132

-0.1113

-0.1148

-0.1115

-0.07603

-0.0812

-0.09228

-0.0844

-0.0949

-0.0844

-0.0949

-0.08195

-0.1841

-0.0650

-0.08472

-0.0694

-0.0667

-0.0705

-0.0667

-0.0444

-0.2471

-0.1499

-0.0130

-0.01162

-0.0161

-0.0184

-0.0165

-0.0184

-0.01515

-0.2685

-5.5990

-1.5100

-0.0371

-0.02685

-0.0567

-0.0976

-0.0587

-0.0980

-0.0613

0.8136

0.00022

0.1113

-0.0036

0.000212

-0.0069

4.22E05

-0.0083

4.23E-05

-0.0021

Index
Factor
LF
(case
1&4)
LF
(case2&5)
SF
(case1)
SF
(case2)
SF
(case3)
SF
(case4)
EF
(case2)
EF
(case3)

-0.3344
-0.1407
-0.0282
0.91081
0.33846

TABLE II
NORMALIEZED EVALUATION FACTORS
SV_Jr

SV_Jlf

SV_J22

Det_Jlf

Det_J2
2

SSV_Jr

WSSV_Jr

Std_Jr

Std_Jlf

DDTR_
Jr

DDTR_Jl
f

DDTR_J2
2

LF

0.721605

0.019753

0.183951

0.591975

0.075309

0.083951

0.09321

0.100617

0.167284

0.099383

0.198765

SF
EF
(effects
of load)
EF
(effects
of AVR)

0.623406

0.032804

0.311731

0.978302

0.163116

0.187796

0.172779

0.187751

0.17407

0.187791

0.152702

0.162672

0.000526

0.047959

0.269704

0.006633

0.004795

0.010132

0.017439

0.010486

0.017511

0.010948

0.415979

1.54E-06

0.000278

0.136842

-0.00449

0.000261

-0.00851

5.18E-05

-0.01032

5.2E-05

-0.00258

Index
Factor

TABLE III
WIGHTED NORMALIEZED EVALUATION FACTORS
LF

SV_Jr

SV_Jl
f

SV_J2
2

1.3772

0.1311

1.7994

0.3271

Wight of Factor
SF
EF1
EF2

Det_Jl
f

Det_J2
2

SSV_J
r

WSSV_Jr

Std_J
r

Std_Jl
f

DDTR_Jr

DDTR_Jl
f

DDTR_J2
2

0.9009

1.333

1.9795

0.6443

0.7388

0.6799

0.7347

0.6765

0.7350

0.5920

1.9472

1.1110

2.1712

1.5494

1.7605

1.6148

1.7245

1.5514

1.7263

1.3540

0.2
5
0.4

0.2
5
0.1

0.2
5
0.4

0.2
5
0.1

0.3

0.5

0.6534

2.5670

1.1764

2.6036

3.014

3.4028

3.1139

3.2763

2.9315

3.2805

2.5500

.05

0.1
5
.05

2.2705

.85

0.0
5
.05

1.38408

0.6489

2.7089

1.0526

1.7402

2.697

2.9598

2.7122

2.8352

2.3286

2.8440

2.0128

.05

.85

.05

.05

0.7000

0.0385

0.3586

1.0526

1.0884

0.1917

0.2207

0.2030

0.2205

0.2044

0.2206

0.1793

.05

.05

.05

.85

2.0920

0.6556

0.9784

6.6561

4.7504

3.2593

3.6913

3.4804

3.6730

3.4799

3.6745

2.9786

V.

Conclusion

In this study, 12 power flow based voltage stability

indices were introduced and compared. The results of
simulations performed on 9-bu and IEEE 30-bus
networks showed that:
1. If all evaluative factors are weighted similarly or if
linearization be considered as the most important factor,
the best performance will be due to DET_J22 index. In
other words, this index is a trustable one because it has a
semi-linear behavior.

Copyright 2009 Praise Worthy Prize S.r.l. - All rights reserved

2. If the two linearization and accuracy (in showing load

effects) factors are weighted highly, the best
performance will be due to WSV_Jr, MSV_J22 and
DDTR_Jlf indices.
3. The common index MSV_Jr has a totally non-linear
performance and cannot be a suitable criterion for
stability.
4. A good index should have a stale behavior in different
conditions. DDTR, SSV and Std indices have near-tostable performances and have curves with negative

International Review of Electrical Engineering,

A. Zare

slopes in all conditions.

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Authors information
1

Young Researchers Club, Arsanjan Branch.

Ali zare was born in Arsanjan, Iran, in 1983. He

received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering
from Shiraz University in 2005, Shiraz, Iran. He
received M.S. degree in power systems
engineering from Iran University of Science and
Technology in 2008, Tehran, Iran. He is a
member of Young Researchers Club, arsanjan
branch (2007 up to now). His research interests
are Restructured Power Systems, Power Quality,
Planning and Control of Power System, Voltage
Stability, Security of Power Systems, FACTS devices and
Microeconomics.

International Review of Electrical Engineering,