Frequency threshold determination for frequency-responsive load controllers

A frequency-responsive load controller comprising:

• a curtailing frequency threshold selector implemented by computing hardware, the curtailing frequency threshold selector configured or programmed to:
• select a frequency from a frequency range for use as a curtailing frequency threshold, wherein the curtailing frequency threshold is a grid frequency at or below which a grid-connected electrical device associated with the frequency-responsive load controller is turned off;
• and
• upon determining that the frequency selected for use as the curtailing frequency threshold is within an under-frequency deadband of the frequency range, set the curtailing frequency threshold to a frequency lower than the under-frequency deadband but within the frequency range, wherein the under-frequency deadband is a frequency range over which the grid-connected electrical device is not turned off by the frequency-responsive load controller;
• and
• a power controller implemented by the computing hardware, the power controller configured or programmed to:
• monitor the grid frequency at the grid-connected electrical device;
• and
• upon determining that the grid frequency meets or falls below the curtailing frequency threshold, initiate a powering off of the grid-connected electrical device.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable or programmable-logic-device-executable instructions for managing frequency response in an electrical power distribution system, the managing comprising:

• receiving power information for a plurality of grid-connected electrical devices;
• aggregating the received power information;
• based on the aggregated power information and a target power-frequency curve, determining one or more frequency ranges from which frequency thresholds can be selected for the respective grid-connected electrical devices, wherein for a respective grid-connected electrical device, the frequency threshold is a grid frequency at which the grid-connected electrical device is automatically turned off or turned on by an associated frequency-responsive load controller;
• selecting, for the respective grid-connected electrical devices, a frequency threshold;
• upon determining that one or more of the frequency thresholds for the grid-connected electrical devices are within a deadband on either side of a target grid frequency in which grid-connected electrical devices are not automatically turned off or turned on by the associated frequency-responsive load controllers, probabilistically setting the one or more of the frequency thresholds to new frequency thresholds within a frequency range outside of the deadband;
• transmitting the one or more frequency thresholds to the respective frequency-responsive load controllers, wherein the frequency-responsive load controllers establish the frequency thresholds as the frequencies at which the associated grid-connected electrical devices are automatically turned on or turned off.