Driving Sustainable Development with PMU Systems in Distribution Grids

PMUs, through their ability to perform synchronized and accurate measurements of electrical quantities, enable real-time monitoring of the impact of RES on the grid. They enhance grid stability even in the presence of variable and distributed generation and help prevent blackouts and imbalances caused by sudden power fluctuations. These capabilities strongly support sustainability by facilitating an energy transition toward a low-carbon generation mix, in line with SDG 7. Despite their potential, the deployment of PMUs in distribution networks has remained limited due to high device costs, the large number of required monitoring points, and the inherently variable nature of the measured quantities. This study proposes a testing framework for evaluating the performance of a real PMU under realistic operating conditions. A test system was developed by replicating a section of a municipal distribution grid in Italy. By comparing waveforms measured by the PMU with those generated through Simulink simulations, the system’s operational effectiveness and measurement reliability were assessed. The procedure was applied under diverse scenarios, including equipment faults, connection or disconnection of large loads, and the integration of RES—all of which may affect accuracy. This work also contributes to SDG 9 by supporting innovation in distribution-level monitoring technologies.