The need to control and protect existing and emerging electricity grids with increasing penetration of renewable and distributed energy sources poses new challenges and opportunities to the measurement science. Measurement is essential to quantify the risks associated with the variation in the fundamental transmission line frequency, fast transients and degrading power quality caused high-frequency harmonics, flicker and voltage fluctuations. Measurement is also necessary to maintain the requirements of the electricity codes and contractual obligations to network users.

In response to these challenges Australia’s National Measurement Institute (NMI) is developing a range of measurement standards that will serve as an ultimate source of traceability and testing for the above quantities. Some examples include:

1. New reference measurement facilities for electrical power at frequencies up to 200 kHz, harmonics and flicker. Not only the amplitude of powerline harmonics but also their phase with respect to the fundamental can now be measured with an uncertainty around 0.001, traceable to a quantum voltage standards based on a Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesiser.
2. A reference system to calibrate Phasor Measurement Units that measure a number of physical quantities, including rate of change of frequency, synchronised to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using timing signals that are derived from the Global Positioning System (GPS) and/or other Global Navigation Satellite Systems. The new NMI facility provides calibration of PMUs traceable to the Australian national standards of electrical and time quantities.
3. State of the art reference systems, including automated software, for measuring steep front impulse and electrical fast transient bursts and calculating their parameters in accordance with IEC 61000‑4‑4:2012.

The talk will provide technical details of these unique developments, describe their dissemination and impact on the electricity networks.