Discerning Real-World Data Center Load Behavior and the Need for Long Term Data Analysis

This paper analyzes unforeseen power swings emerging from a substation of a data center load. Because the measured response was noticed after a local line outage, at first glance, it mimicked a stability issue. However, analyzing the synchrophasor data over extended periods reveals underlying behavior akin to load cycling and not system stability issues. The difficulties in characterizing oscillatory behavior pose new challenges and underline the need for longer term analysis tools and techniques as data center loads continue to be integrated into Dominion Energy’s grid.

Abstract reproduced from Chetan Mishra, Bikal Pudasaini, Katelynn A. Vance, TJ Purcell, Jaime Delaree Jr., Kevin D. Jones, Luigi Vanfretti, “Discerning Real-World Data Center Load Behavior and the Need for Long Term Data Analysis,” 2026 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM), 2026. doi.org/10.1109/PESGM58988.2026.11693766 ↗