The development of PMU (Phase Measurement Unit) devices dedicated to medium and low voltage distribution networks and characterized by a lower cost compared to solutions designed for high voltage can be a valid solution for monitoring and observability of distribution networks. In this perspective, obtaining fault detection and location capabilities from the same device, which can be used to implement actual protection algorithms, would offer the advantage of having different functionalities for network operation included in a single measurement device.

In this context, the activity reported in the document aims to analyze several methods described in the literature for the protection of distribution networks using PMU devices, in order to critically evaluate their performance in terms of the effectiveness of the protection function and fault section selection. A literature review on the subject was conducted, from which the most significant methods were extracted and analyzed. The proposed methods are based on different assumptions, such as the number of PMU devices employed or the use of so-called pseudo-measurements to compensate for the lack of measurements when a limited number of devices are installed in the network. Another important distinguishing factor for some methods is the need for precise knowledge of the network parameters under examination.