2006 IEEE PES Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition Latin America, Venezuela
Limiting Distributed Generator Capacity Due to the
Voltage Stability Phenomena
R. B. Prada, L. F. Ferreira, and L. C. A. Ferreira
Index Terms - Power flow, voltage collapse, voltage control,
voltage security, voltage stability.
I. INTRODUCTION
Power systems are operated under increasingly loaded
conditions. Open access, few new transmission lines, and
increased energy consumption originate much greater levels of
power transfers. The system is operating near its limits in
order to achieve maximum economic benefit.
Voltage instability has become a major threat for the
operation of many systems and it is a factor leading to limit
power transfers [1]. Voltage stability analysis, or more
adequately, voltage security analysis, may be divided in two
aspects: the assessment function and, if necessary, the
reinforcement function. The voltage security assessment may
find results of two different types: i) the power flow arriving
in a load bus is reaching its maximum, ii) the effect of voltage
control actions in a voltage-controlled bus may be opposite to
the expected one [2]-[3].
The objective of the voltage security assessment is to point
out critical buses and areas. Once the assessment has detected
1
The first two authors received financial support from CNPq, CAPES and
FAPERJ.
R. B. Prada and L. F. Ferreira are with Department of Electrical Engineering,
Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, 22453 900, Brazil, prada@ele.puc-rio.br /
nando@ele.puc-rio.br and L. C. A. Ferreira is with ONS, the Independent
Brazilian System Operator, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, lclaudio@ons.org.br.
1-4244-0288-3/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE
1
that a load is reaching its maximum, the objective of the
reinforcement function is to calculate adequate control actions
in order to increase the "distance" between the actual load to
the (new) maximum power flow. However, if it is detected
that a control action may have the reverse effect, the objective
of the reinforcement function is to move the operating point
from the lower half of the well-known SV curve (nicknamed
"nose curve") to its upper half. Appropriate voltage profile
changes and consequent loss reduction may achieve the
enhancement objective. If that procedure is not enough, active
generation rescheduling may be recommended.
However, operational preventive and corrective actions
should be necessary only in the event of unforeseen and
unplanned scenarios. The studies associated with the
connection of a new generator should guarantee that voltage is
kept under control for all power output and transfer levels as
well as for the base- and contingency-cases. It is not
appropriate to make available generating sources that cannot
be fully used for voltage control.
II. DETERMINING THE PHENOMENA EXISTENCE
The problem addressed in this paper is the opposite
relationship between the generator excitation voltage and the
controlled voltage when near by transmission network is
heavily loaded (see Appendix). In this case, the full capacity
of production / absorption of reactive power by the generator
may not be useful for keeping the bus voltage within pre-
defined range. Due to opposite relationship, an increase in the
excitation voltage would lower the voltage. Automatic control
would keep acting, thus leading to still lower voltage. If the
voltage becomes too low, angular stability may be at a threat.
Under-voltage relays would could come into action as well.
Voltage collapse is a possible consequence. The other
possibility is the excitation current hitting limits before the
voltage becomes too low thus interrupting the voltage decay
process.
Although there are hundreds of papers in the literature
about voltage security assessment, none of them performs the
analysis of voltage-controlled buses except "the matrix [D']
method" [4] and the well-known "VQ curve method" [5]. On
the other hand, there are only about twenty papers on voltage
security reinforcement and none of them considers the voltage
security reinforcement on voltage-controlled buses, although
the necessity to do so has already been recognised as early as
1978 and 1980 [6]-[7]. To quote Tiranuchit and Thomas [8]:
"The actual cases of blackouts characterised by voltage
depressions reported in the literature indicate that standard
practice procedures such as transformer tap changing,
capacitor switching, synchronous condenser adjustment, and
load shedding may aggravate an already unstable voltage
profile". Generators are to be included in the list of voltage
controlling devices.
Quasi-static voltage control instability, as above described,
was verified in actual operating points of real life systems [9].
Therefore, as already stated in [10], it is necessary to correlate
the physical variable used to control voltage, such as the
excitation current and the controlled voltage in generators.
The objective is to determine whether the voltage control
action would have the expected steady-state effect or not.
The voltage security assessment method used in this paper
is fully described in [4]. The assessment results are based on
indexes Si , Sm , M, E and II where Si is the complex
power injected into the network by the generator, and Sm is
an estimate of the maximum complex power that could be
injected by the generator, calculated in the operating point
under analysis. Therefore, M = ( Sm  Si ) / Sm is the complex
power margin between the amount being injected and the
estimated maximum (in per unit of Sm). E is the angle between
Fig. 1. Portion of the unifilar diagram of the Brazilian system used for tests
2
the gradient vectors ’P and ’Q and it has being proved that
00  E  1800 in the upper part of the SV curve (the well-
known nicknamed "nose curve"), while 00 ! E ! 1800 in the
lower half, where voltage control may have the reverse effect.
At the maximum, the gradient vectors are aligned and thus E
is equal to 0o or r 180o [4]. The Influence Index, defined as
II = (Mi / Mo - 1), translates the benefits of a reinforcement
control action, where Mo and Mi are the margins before and
after the control is applied.
In order to verify the dynamic behaviour of the generator
automatic voltage regulator, a time domain simulation is
performed.
III. NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
This paper shows a real life numerical example with the
unifilar diagram shown in Fig. 1. A new generator (M.
Merchant connected to bus 3977) was connected to an
existing transmission line which was already heavily load
(connected through a voltage step-up transformer between
buses 3977 and 3966 to the 345 KV transmission line between
buses 140 Adrianópolis and 147 Campos).
 The voltage security assessment detects that the 276

relationship between the reactive power output and the

259
controlled voltage is opposite to the usual giving a strong
indication the voltage control is not working properly (the 242
negative signs in Table I).
225

TABLE I
VOLTAGE SECURITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR THE 207

GENERATOR TERMINAL BUS (BASE-CASE)

190

Angle
Bus Volt- MVA Index 173
E (de- 0 6 12 19 25
number age (pu) margin (%) dQ/dV
grees) Time(seconds)
3977 1.057 -136.4 -196.9 -0.8 Fig. 4. Reactive power at the terminal bus (pu)

The time domain simulation confirms the static analysis.
When the reference voltage is changed to a larger value,
the excitation voltage is increased by the AVR (Fig. 2).
Unexpectedly, the controlled voltage decreases (Fig. 3).
The relationship between the reactive power output and the
terminal voltage is opposite to the expected (Figs. 3 and 4).
As the voltage control leads to a lower terminal voltage, the
automatic control would keep acting, thus leading to still
lower voltage. Voltage collapse is a possible consequence.
It is also possible that the excitation current hits limits
interrupting the voltage decay process.
If the generator voltage control cannot work properly, a
remedial action would be to decrease the generator output
and/or the transmission line (where the unit is connected
to) power flow.
As an example, the active power flow across the
transmission line where the generator is connected to is
decrease by 7% through generation rescheduling but
maintaining the generator under analysis with its active
output constant. As a consequence, the reactive power
output decreases by 80%. The security assessment results
are shown in Table II. Generator voltage control is now
working properly as signs are positive.

TABLE II
2,2
VOLTAGE SECURITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR THE
2,183
GENERATOR TERMINAL BUS (AFTER CONTROL ACTION)

2,165 Angle
Bus Volt- MVA Index
E (de-
2,147
number age (pu) margin (%) dQ/dV
grees)
2,129
3977 1.007 175.34 10.0 0.7

2,112
The time domain simulation confirms the static analysis.
2,094
When the reference voltage is changed to a smaller value,
0 6 12 19 25
the excitation voltage is decreased by the AVR (Fig. 5). As
Time(seconds) expected, the controlled voltage decreases (Fig. 6). The
Fig. 2. Generator excitation voltage (pu) relationship between the reactive power output and the
terminal voltage is as usual (Figs. 6 and 7).

1,057 1,04

1,052 1,017

1,047 0,994

1,042 0,971

1,037 0,948

1,032 0,925

1,027 0,902
0 6 12 19 25 0 6 12 19 25

Time (seconds) Time(seconds)

Fig. 3. Generator terminal voltage (pu) Fig. 5. Generator excitation voltage (pu)

3
 The generator or compensator is modelled by a variable
1,007 voltage source Eg in the internal bus g behind the
synchronous reactance XS controlling the voltage V0 in the
0,998
terminal bus, as shown in Fig. 8. When the excitation
current hits its limits, the excitation voltage is fixed and the
0,989
voltage V0 is no longer controlled.
0,981

0,972

0,964

0,955
0 6 12 19 25

Time (seconds)
Fig. 6. Generator terminal voltage (pu) Fig. 8. Unifilar diagram of a synchronous generator or compensator
connected to the system

31,8
Solving a power flow algorithm with a sequence of
different values for the terminal voltage reference, the
17,5 corresponding values of the excitation voltage and the
reactive generation are recorded. These three sets of values
3,3
are used to plot the graphics Eg x Vt and Vt x Qg shown in
-10,9
Fig. 9.

-25,1

1.6 12
Eg x Vt
-39,4
Qg x Vt

-53,6
0 6 12 19 25

Time(seconds)
Fig. 7. Reactive power at the terminal bus (pu)
1.55 10

IV. CONCLUSION

The case dealt with in this paper was the opposite

relationship between the generator excitation voltage and
the controlled voltage when the transmission network
where the generator or compensator is connected to is
heavily loaded. In this case, the full capacity of production
/ absorption of reactive power by the generator may not be
useful for keeping the bus voltage within pre-defined
range.
It was shown a real life example when a new generator
presented inappropriate voltage control. It was necessary to
reschedule active power generation in order to decrease the
active and reactive power flow across the transmission line
where the generator was connected to. After the remedial
action, proper voltage control was recovered and the full
MW capacity of the new generator could be used. If there
was no remedial action, the only possibility would be to
reduce the new generator output.
V. APPENDIX
A very simple numerical experiment demonstrates the
regular and the opposite relationships between the
excitation and the terminal voltages as well as between the
reactive generated power and the terminal voltage.
1.5 8
1.04 1.06 1.08 1.1 1.12 1.14 1.16 1.18 1.2
Fig. 9 Relationships between Eg, Vt and Qg
The right side of the curves is the normal region of
operation where Eg, Vt and Qg move in the same direction.
On the other hand, the left side is the region where Eg and
Vt move in opposite direction, as well as Qg and Vt. As the
minimum of the two curves do not coincide for the same
Vt, there is a region, when 1.12 < Vt <1.14, where Eg and
Vt vary in the same direction whereas Qg and Vt vary in
opposite direction.
The success of the numerical exercise in obtaining both
sides of the curves will depend on the relationship between
the synchronous reactance and the system Thevenin
impedance as seen by the generator terminal bus. In most
cases only the right side, i.e. the usual region will appear
even if the limits on Vt, Eg and Qg are slightly relaxed.

4
 VI. REFERENCES
[1] Th. Van Cutsem, "Voltage instability: phenomena, countermeasures,
and analysis methods", Proc. IEEE, Vol. 88, No. 2, pp. 208-227,
February 2000.
[2] R. B. Prada, B. J. Cory and R. Navarro-Perez, "Assessment of steady
state voltage collapse critical conditions", in Proc.10th Power
Systems Computation Conference, 1990, Graz, Austria, pp. 1189-
1195.
[3] R. B. Prada, A. C. Zambroni, X. Vieira Filho, A. G. Massaud and J.
C. C. Oliveira, "Voltage stability: phenomena characterisation based
on reactive control effects and system critical areas identification", in
Proc. III Symposium of Specialists in Electric Operational and
Expansion Planning, 1992, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
[4] R. B. Prada, E. G. C. Palomino, J. O. R. dos Santos, A. Bianco, and L. A.
S. Pilotto, "Voltage stability assessment for real time operation", Proc.
IEE Generation, Transmission and Distribution, Vol. 149, No. 2,
pp.175-180, March 2002.
[5] C. W. Taylor, “Power system voltage stability”, McGraw Hill, 1994.
[6] W. R. Lachs, "Voltage collapse in EHV power systems", presented at
IEEE PES Winter Power Meeting, January 1978, paper A 78 057-2.
[7] C. Barbier and J. P. Barret, "An analysis of phenomena of voltage
collapse on a transmission system", Rev. Générale Electricité, Tome
89, No. 10, pp. 672-690, October 1980,.
[8] A. Tiranuchit and R. J. Thomas, "A posturing strategy against voltage
instabilities in electric power systems", IEEE Transactions on Power
Systems, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 87-93, February 1988.
[9] R. B. Prada, L. J. Souza and L.A.P. Sousa, “The need for a new constraint
on voltage / reactive power studies to ensure proper voltage control”, Int.
J. of Electrical Power & Energy Systems, Vol. 24, No. 7, pp. 535-540,
September 2002.
[10] IEEE Power System Stability Committee, Special Report, Voltage
stability assessment: procedures and guides, Chapter 6, On-line VSA
functional requirements, January 2001.
VII. BIOGRAPHIES
Ricardo B. Prada was born in 1951, obtained
Diploma in Electrical Engineering (1975) and
M.Sc. in Power Systems (1977) both from
Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (1980) from
Imperial College of Science and Technology,
London, U.K. He is Associate Professor at
Department of Electrical Engineering, Catholic
University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São
Vicente, 225, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, phone:
+55 21 31141214, fax: +55 21 31141232, e-mail:
prada@ele.puc-rio.br
Luis F. Ferreira was born in 1980, obtained
Diploma in Electrical Engineering (2003) from
Federal University of São João Del Rei, Minas
Gerais, MG, Brazil. He is currently working toward
his MSc degree in voltage stability analysis at the
Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de
Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Now he is an engineer with ICF
International, Av. das Américas, 700 - bl. 06, sl.
250, Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil, phone: +55 21
21172569, fax: +55 21 21327354, e-mail:
nando@ele.puc-rio.br
Luiz Cláudio Araujo Ferreira was born in
Rio de Janeiro, where he took his BSc degree at
Federal Centre of Technological Education of Rio
de Janeiro (CEFET-RJ). His MSc degree was
obtained at the Federal University at Itajubá in
1999. He is currently working toward his PhD in
voltage stability analysis. Since 1998, he is a
senior engineer for the ONS - the Operator of the
Brazilian Power System, Rua Real Grandeza, 219,
503-E, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, phone: +55 21
25283788, fax: +55 21 25283794, e-mail:
lclaudio@ons.org.br.