A system for detecting islanding of a microgrid includes a number of power sources to output real power and controlled reactive power injection; a number of controllers each controlling one of the number of power sources; and an output from the microgrid powered by the number of power sources. A number of electrical switching apparatus electrically connect the output from the microgrid to a grid and electrically disconnect the output from the microgrid from the grid. A microgrid controller detects islanding of the microgrid with respect to the grid, and sends a number of commands to a number of the number of controllers in order to control reactive power injection by a number of the number of power sources. A communication channel is between the microgrid controller and the number of controllers. A number of microgrid loads are powered by the output from the microgrid.