Research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Power System Protection

o New protection and control paradigms for smartgrid.
o Data and physics driven real time application for System Integrity Protection Schemes (SIPS).
o Adaptive protection.
o Protection, control, and Fault Location in smartgrid, including renewable-rich microgrids.
o Improved methods for Digital Relaying.

  • Power System Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis

o Create Validated Time Domain Models of Power System Components and subsystems.
o Short Circuit Models of Renewable Generation Rich Power Systems

GUEST LECTURES:

Some of the presentations may have the same titles. However, the material presented covered the most updated information of my group’s research on the broad topic captured by the presentation-title. Some were also tailored based on the audience (industry, academia, mix).

KEYNOTE SPEECHES AT MAJOR IEEE PES CONFERENCES:
1. Keynote Address – “Challenges to Power System Protection in Presence of Renewables”, Presented at National Power System Conference (NPSC) 2020, IIT Gandhinagar, India, December 18, 2020, Virtual.
2. Keynote Address – “Power System Protection in the Era of Smart Grid” – at 7th International Conference on Power Systems (ICPS-2017), College of Engineering, Pune, India, December 2017.
3. Keynote Address – “Power System Protection in the Era of Smart Grid” – at International Conference on Research and Innovation in Science, Engineering, and Technology (ICRISET-2017), BVM Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar, India, February 2017.
4. Keynote Address – “Power System Protection in the Era of Smart Grid” – at IEEE Power, Communication, and Information Technology (PCITC-2015) conference in Bhubaneswar, India on October 15, 2015.

PRESENTATIONS MADE UNDER IEEE PES DISTINGUISHED LECTURER PROGRAM:
5. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation, IEEE PES/IAS Chapter, Kansas City section: “Microgrid Protection”, April 4, 2023. Virtual.
6. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation, IEEE PES Chapter, Peru: “Power System Protection in the Era of Smart Grid”, July 14, 2022. Virtual.
7. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation: “Microgrid Protection in Presence of Renewables”, at IEEE PES Kolkata Chapter, October 29, 2021. Virtual.
8. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation: “Challenges to Power System Protection in Presence of Renewables”, at IEEE Orlando PES/IAS/PELS Joint Chapter, October 21, 2021. Virtual
9. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation: “Microgrid Protection in Presence of Renewables”, at IEEE PES Turkey Chapter, May 28, 2021. Virtual.
10. IEEE Distinguished Lecturer Presentation “Teaching the First Course on Power Engineering to the Undergraduate Students – Opportunities and Challenges”, Invited Lecture at IEEE Bombay Section PES/PAS Joint Chapter, May 11, 2021. Virtual.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS AT UNIVERSITIES AND INDUTRY:
11. CPRI Chair Presentation “Source-Agnostic, Inherently Directional Time-Domain Distance Relay”, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, June 26, 2023.
12. Invited Presentation, “Impact of Renewables and Battery Storage on Protection of Bulk Power Grid”, to nationwide offices of Tata Consultancy Engineers (TCE), conducted from Bangalore, India, June 23, 2023.
13. Invited Presentation, “Challenges to Power System Protection in Presence of Renewables”, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, June 22, 2023.
14. Invited Presentation at Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Bangalore, India: “Challenges to Power System Protection in Presence of Renewables”, CPRI, Bangalore, December 23, 2022.
15. Invited Presentation for TCE Lecture Series on Power Systems: “Challenges to Power System Protection in Presence of Renewables”, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, June 2, 2022.
16. Seminar on “Dynamic Visualization of Power Systems – Models, Promises, and Challenges” at University of New Mexico, on October 21, 2016.
17. Guest lecture – “Real Time Applications of Mathematical Morphology in Power System Protection” at Arizona State University, on November 16, 2012.
18. Guest lecture on “Protection Issues in Power Distribution and Transmission Systems” at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, India, on August 18, 2004.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS AT TUTORIALS AND WORKSHOPS:
19. Co-presenter: Tutorial on Phasor Domain Short Circuit Models for Wind Turbine Generators at IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition 2024, May 6, 2024.
20. Lead speaker: Workshop on Protection and Stability of Renewable Dominated Power Grids, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, January 2-4, 2023.
21. Co-presenter: “Protection: Modeling Challenges of IBRs”, Center for Advanced Power Engineering Research (CAPER) Fall 22 meeting Tutorial, November 2022.
22. Co-presenter: Tutorial on “Inverter-Based Resources in Power Systems”, IEEE PES General Meeting 2021, July 2021, Virtual.
23. Sole Presenter: Big Data Tutorial Series organized by IEEE PES Subcommittee on Big Data & Analytics for Power Systems: “Power System Protection and Big Data – Challenges and Opportunities”, July 2021, Virtual.
24. Co-presenter: “Operation and Protection of Microgrids with High Penetration of IBRs”, PES & PELS 2021 6th IEEE Workshop on the Electronic Grid (eGrid 2021), November 2021, Virtual.
25. Invited Tutorial Presentation: “IEEE PSRCC WG 24 – Modification of Commercial Fault Calculation Programs for Wind Turbine Generators”, Presented at Eastern Interconnection Reliability Assessment Group – ERAG Workshop, October 27, 2020, virtual.
26. Chair, Workshop on Use of Synchrophasors and Synchronized Sampling in Protection, The First IEEE International Conference on Smart Grid Synchronized Measurements and Analytics – SGSMA, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, May 20, 2019.
27. Co-presenter: Tutorial on Fault Contribution from Wind Plants at IEEE PES General meeting 2015, July 26, 2015.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND MAJOR IEEE CONFERENCES:
28. Invited Panel presentation: “Identifying and Tackling Challenges in Applying Machine Learning to Protection”, IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition, May 2024, Anaheim, CA.
29. Invited Panel presentation: “Considerations of AI in Protection”, IEEE PES General Meeting, August 2023, Orlando, FL.
30. Invited Panel presentation: “Considerations of AI in Protection”, IEEE PES General Meeting, August 2022, Denver, CO.
31. IEEE PES Webinar: “Optimal Reconfiguration and Resilient Control Framework for Real-Time Photovoltaic Dispatch to Manage Critical Infrastructure”, May 4, 2022.
32. Invited Panel presentation: “Detecting Misoperations in a Distributed Environment”, Center for Advanced Power Engineering Research (CAPER) Fall meeting, July 2021.
33. Guest presentation: “Use of AI in Protection – Some Thoughts”, IEEE PES Power System Relaying and Control Committee, meeting of Working Group C43 – “Use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Power System Protection and Control”, May 5, 2021.
34. Main Committee Presentation: “IEEE PSRCC WG 24 – Modification of Commercial Fault Calculation Programs for Wind Turbine Generators”, Presented at the main committee meeting of the IEEE PES Power System Relaying and Control Committee, January 14, 2021. Virtual.
35. Invited Panel presentation “Protection of microgrids with high penetration of inverter based resources”, IEEE PES General Meeting, August 2020, Virtual.
36. Guest presentation: “Extremely high – close to 100% -penetration of Inverter Based Resources (IBRs) – design, operation, protection”, meeting of Working Group D41 – “Engagement with Industry Activities Related to Line Protection Due to Increasing Penetration of Inverter-based Sources”, January, 2020.
37. Invited Panel presentation “Protection challenges with increased penetration of inverter-based generation in the Southeastern Region of the US”, IEEE PES General Meeting, August 2019, Atlanta, GA.
38. Invited Panel Chair, “Modeling of converter-interfaced renewable sources for short circuit studies – IEEE PES GM 2019”, August 2019, Atlanta, GA.
39. Invited Panel presentation “Protection in Presence of Inverter Based Resources” at “2019 PV Systems Symposium” at Sandia National Laboratories, May 15, 2019.
40. Invited Panel presentation “Power System Protection in the Era of Smart Grid” at “Grid of the Future Workshop” at Sandia National Laboratories, August 22, 2018.
41. Invited Panel presentation “How can we detect faults in a 100% inverter-based system”, IEEE PES GM 2018, August 2018, Portland, OR.
42. Invited Panel presentation at the supersession on Low Inertia and Weak Grid – “Protection in the Weak Grid Future”, IEEE PES GM 2018, August 2018, Portland, OR.
43. Invited panel presentation – “Demonstrating the need of Interdisciplinary Background for Advanced Protection Applications”, IEEE PES GM 2017, July, 2017, Chicago, IL.
44. Invited panel presentation – “Activities of IEEE Power System Relaying Committee WG-24: Modification of Commercial Fault Calculation Programs for Wind Turbine Generators”, WECC Renewable Energy Modeling Task Force (REMTF) meeting, June 2015.
45. Invited Panel presentation – “Short Circuit Analysis of Type II Induction Generator and Wind Farm” at IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition, April 2012, Orlando, FL.

GRANTS:

New Mexico State University:

  1. California Energy Commission (CEC), Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) – Energy Innovations Small Grant (EISG): “Fault Location in Power Distribution System with Penetration of Distributed Energy Resources”, PI. November 1, 2008 – October 31, 2009.
  2. US Department of Energy: “Investigating Short Circuit Models for Wind Turbine Generators”,  PI. October 2009–December 2012.
  3. Pacific Gas and Electric: “Network Primary Model Development”,  PI. November 17, 2009 – July 31, 2014.
  4. Department of Energy: “Customer Driven Microgrid”, Investigator. Co-PI. November 2009 – December 2011.
  5. Sandia National Laboratories: “Microgrid Protection”, PI. May 2, 2011 – June 30, 2012.
  6. Interdesciplinary Research Grant, VPR’s office NMSU: “ Classification of Disturbance Data Generated by Phasor Measurement Units for Better Control and Protection of Power Grid”, as PI. January 2013 – May 2014.
  7. National Science Foundation: “CREST Center for Research – iCREDITS: interdisciplinary Center of Research Excellence in Design of Intelligent Technologies for Smartgrids”, as Co-PI. February 2014 – January 2019.
  8. El Paso Electric: “Transient Studies for El Paso Electric Company”, Co-PI. August 1, 2013 – July 31, 2014.
  9. Sandia National Laboratories: “Foundations for Protecting Renewable-Rich Distribution Systems ”, as PI. October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016.
  10. National Science Foundation:CPS: Breakthrough: Collaborative Research: WARP: Wide Area assisted Resilient Protection, as PI at NMSU, Lead NSDU. September 15, 2015 – September 14, 2018.
  11. Sandia National Laboratories: “Protection of Grid-Connected and Islanded Renewable-Rich Distribution Systems”, as PI. January 2017 – December 31, 2018.

Clemson University:

  1. Part of the NSF CPS Grant (#10 above) Transferred – October 2018 – September, 2019.
  2. US Department of Energy: “Resilient Alaskan Distribution system Improvements using Automation, Network analysis, Control, and Energy storage (RADIANCE)”, as PI. Lead: Idaho National Lab. September 2018 – June, 2020.
  3. US Department of Energy: “SC-SECURED: a Southern Consortium for Storage-Enabled, Cyber-secure, Urban Resilient Electrical Distribution”, as PI. Lead: Sandia National Lab. Contract March 2019 – August, 2020.
  4. US Department of Energy: “Optimal Reconfiguration and Resilient Control Framework for Real-Time Photovoltaic Dispatch to Manage Critical Infrastructure (ReDis-PV)”, as PI. Lead UNC Charlotte. November 2019 – April, 2023.
  5. US Department of Energy: “Adaptive Protection and Control for High Penetration PV and Grid Resilience”, as PI. Lead Sandia National Lab. March 2020 – September, 2023.
  6. Idaho National Laboratories, “Alternative Grid Operations (AGO) Project”, as PI. August 2021 – December, 2022.
  7. Sandia National Laboratories: “Standardized Comprehensive Short Circuit Models for Wind Energy Generation”, as PI. April 2022 – March, 2025.

Students Graduated:

  • Masters: NMSU: Buyanni Prashanth Reddy (ABB), Sravan Kumar Buggaveeti (Siemens), Henry Guan (Sandia National Lab), Gokulakrishnan Kesavan (Freeport McMoran), Vrempala Sri Naga Aditya, Om Prasad Dahal (Northern Indiana Public Service Company – NIPSCO), Sean Clifton (Exponential Engineering), Shiva Prasad Pokharel (Freeport McMoran), Chris Zubia (Power Engineers), Phani Harsha Gadde (ABB, joined for PhD at Clemson), Tarek Mamlook (Sandia National Lab), Michael Brown, Munim Bin Gani (continued for PhD at Clemson), Jordan Johnson (Exponential Engineering),  Clemson (6)- Austin Greenwood (EPRI), Trupal Patel (continued for PhD), Ahmad, Nasir Nadeeb (Fullbright Scholar from Afghanistan), Prabin Adhikari – May 2021 (continued for PhD), Jason Sabet – August 2023 (Duke Energy), Dol Raj Kunwar– May 2024 (ETAP).
  • PhD (3): NMSU: Suresh Gautam (GE Energy), Om Prasad Dahal (Burns and McDonald), Malati Chaudhary (Public Service Company of New Mexico – PNM); Clemson (2): Phani Harsha Gadde – August 2022 (Clearway Energy Group), Munim Bin Gani – August 2023 (Quanta Technology).
  • PostDoc (8): Milan Kumar Biswal (two years – NMSU), Ravikumar Gelli (one year – NMSU), Nataraj Pragallapati (1 year – NMSU), Sijo Augustine (1 year – NMSU), Amirhossein Sajadi (2 months – NMSU), Hany Habib (2 years – Clemson), Mohamed Abuagreb (1 year, 9 months – Clemson), Venkateshwara Motakatla (5 months– Clemson).