Synchrophasor Data Quality Attributes and a Methodology for Examining Data Quality Impacts upon Synchrophasor Applications

Published

March 14, 2017

Author(s)

Dhananjay Anand, Allen R. Goldstein, Alison Silverstein, Laurie Miller, Francis Tuffner, Yuri Makarov

Abstract

Data from synchrophasor devices like phasor measurement units (PMU) is increasingly being used to enhance and improve power grid operations, analysis, and planning applications. However, PMU data often arrive at the application with a variety of data quality problems due to the combinations and interactions of the PMU measurement process, the data communications network, and intermediate data aggregators such as phasor data concentrators. While it is clear that data accuracy and gaps can affect the accuracy and trustworthiness of synchrophasor data applications, to date there has been limited formal effort made to characterize and understand the nature of these impacts. To understand the impacts of these data characteristics and issues, each application must be evaluated using a consistent approach with common terminology and practices. This report provides a framework and terminology set to describe the attributes of data quality, an umbrella term that encompasses the accuracy, availability and timeliness of synchrophasor data. The framework breaks down the attributes of data quality in terms of the size of the data units being described – specifically, we propose that data attributes be organized according to the type and scope of data: • Attributes about individual data points are mostly about accuracy and meta-data • Attributes of a data set (a collection of data points) include data coverage (such as time and topology) and consistency (such as metrology, headers, standards) • Attributes of a data stream (a dataset in motion) are about the process path and availability.

Citation

NASPI PMU Applications Requirements Task Force

Pub Type

Others

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Citation

Anand, D. , Goldstein, A. , Silverstein, A. , Miller, L. , Tuffner, F. and Makarov, Y. (2017), Synchrophasor Data Quality Attributes and a Methodology for Examining Data Quality Impacts upon Synchrophasor Applications, NASPI PMU Applications Requirements Task Force, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=920627 (Accessed October 1, 2025)