Effect of the Tap Changer Position of Zeus

765/400kV Transformer on the Steady State and

Voltage Stability Performance of the Cape System

Ayanda Dyantyi Nhlanhla Mbuli JHC Pretorius

Department of Electrical and Department of Electrical and Department of Electrical and
Electronic Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electronic Engineering,
University of Johannesburg, University of Johannesburg, University of Johannesburg,
South Africa South Africa South Africa
DyantyA@eskom.co.za MbuliN@eskom.co.za jhcpretorius@uj.ac.za

Abstract— Previously published research findings [1] on
the impact of tap changer position on the steady state
performance of distribution networks indicate that very little
impact results from varying the tap changer position. In this
paper, a similar investigation is carried out, but on a network
with very high voltage transmission lines operating in parallel
with a well-developed corridor of 400kV lines. The per-unit
impedance of a line is reduced drastically as the line voltage is
increased. When the design voltage of the transmission lines is
high, the transformer impedance becomes dominant and plays
a key role in the system. This paper investigates the effect of
varying the impedance of a 765/400kV transformer on the
steady-state (loadflow and active power losses) and voltage
stability of the Cape corridor.
Keywords-transformer; tap changer; power flow; system
losses; voltage stability
I. INTRODUCTION
A transformer is a static device which by
electromagnetic induction transforms alternating voltage
and current between the windings at different values of
voltage and current. Systems for transmission and
distribution of electric power are designed on the basis
parallel lines and substantially constant voltage. It is
desired that the power transformer delivers a reasonable
constant voltage under variable loading conditions. Power
transformers are made up of two circuits, low voltage and
high voltage windings, and their relationship is
characterized by the turn’s ratio of the windings [2].
The number of turns in the winding determines the
voltage, and to change or compensate for line, extra turns
must be connected to or disconnected from the winding. A
tap changer is used as a switch to add or subtract the
winding turns to maintain voltage limits. If all the taps or
turns of the winding are connected to the circuit the voltage
becomes high or else voltages become low. In addition, the
impedance of a transformer changes as the number of turns
are added or subtracted through switching via a tap
changer.
In [3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] transformer tap changers were used to
control and restore system voltages in order to eliminate
voltage instability. Tap Changers were tested on practical
systems and they demonstrated the capability of controlling
and restoring voltage of the power systems with no effect on
the maximum power transfer. In one other study, the effect
of on-load tap changers was investigated on the basis of
small, 11-bus power system for both 10kV and 110kV
feeders which are supplied by 110/10kV and 220/110kV
substation transformers. It was illustrated that power transfer
limit from the power source to the load centre can be
extended through tap changer optimization [1].
The Eskom’s Cape system consists of a group of many,
parallel-operated of 400kV lines, in parallel to which some
765kV lines were later built. This network supplies loads
that are remotely located from generation sources that are to
be found in the North Eastern part of the country [9]. The
system has 765/400kV transformers feeding power through
long transmission lines operated at 400kV and proposed
765kV voltages. Refer to Figure 2 for the geographic map.
The amount of power transmitted through the lines is a
function of the line impedance. As the voltage becomes
high the impedance of the line becomes less significant in
relation to that of a transformer, based on the per unit basis
calculation of the impedances. As a result transformer
impedance becomes dominant and exerts greater influence
on the maximum power transfer limit of the system. This
paper reports on the influence of the Zeus 765/400kV
transformer impedance on the steady state (i.e., loadflows
and active power losses) and voltage stability performance
of the system described above.
Section II of the paper discusses some theoretical
aspects related to how transformer impedance can affect
voltage stability. A methodology of the study carried out on

978-1-4577-1829-8/12/$26.00 ©2012 IEEE

the Cape system to assess the impact of the change of Zeus
400/765kV transformer’s tap changer position is described
in Section III. The results of the studies and discussion
thereof are dealt with in Section IV. Finally, conclusions
are presented in Section V.
II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Figure 1 shows a simple system with sending and
receiving end voltages. Here, the reactive power flows from
higher voltage bus to a lower voltage bus. Real power is a
function of the angle difference, sending end voltage,
receiving end voltage, and the line impedance. Given below
are the formulae that are used to calculate the real and
reactive power in a network [10].
Figure 1: Simple System
(1)
C
(2)
(3)
where in (1) and (2):
VS is the magnitude of the source voltage in kV
VR is the magnitude of the receiving end voltage
in kV
δ is the phase angle between VS and VR in
electrical degrees
X is the inductive line impedance in ohms
Xt is the transformer impedance in ohms
PR is the transferable power (or receiving
end active power) MW
Xpu is the per-unit reactance/impedance
Sbase is the system base power
Vbase is the base voltage
Xactual is the actual impedance of the line
In both equations (1) and (2), it can be seen that for
constant VS, VR, and δ (phase angle), the active power
transferred through the network depends on both the
impedance of the line and that of the transformer, and the
higher the total impedance (sum of transmission line and
transformer impedance), the lower is the power transferred,
and vice versa. From equation (3), in high voltage
transmission lines, the per-unit impedance becomes
relatively small and transformer impedance becomes
dominant. Therefore, since the line impedance is fixed at
high transmission line voltages, both PR and QR are affected
by the changes in transformer impedance, which can be
achieved by adjusting tap changer position.
III. STUDY METHODOLOGY
The case study for the simulations to test the proposal
made above, is the Eskom power system with a very high
voltage 765kV transmission corridor. As already stated,
most of Eskom generating power stations are allocated on
the North Eastern part of the country with major load
centers located in central and coastal areas in the east, south
and west of the country as shown in Figure 2. To get power
to these load centers, highly developed existing 400kV and
765kV corridors are used to transport power to the load
centers, that are situated more than 1500km away from
power generation in the case of the Cape.
This study investigates the effect of transformer
impedance on the loadflow (power flow and active power
losses) and voltage stability-based maximum power transfer
limit. The position of the 400/765kV transformer tap
changer at Zeus substation is varied, and the power flows,
change in active power losses, and voltage stability limits
are calculated.
The software used for power system modeling and
simulations were Power System Simulator for Engineering
(PSS/E) [11], for power flows and losses, and Voltage
Stability Program (VSTAB) [11,12] for calculation of
voltage stability limits.
A. Transformer Tap Changer and Impedance
Transformer tap changer position in PSS/E is modelled
as the ratio between the low and high windings in the
transformer nominal rating data field. The per-unit
impedance of the transformer was varied manually by
changing the ratio of the windings.
B. Loadflows
The system loadflow analysis was carried out only for
system healthy conditions. The studies were carried for
each of the tap changer positions, changing the ratio from
0.95 to 1.05. For each tap changer position, loadflow results
were recorded.
C. Active Power System Losses
The active power system losses were also recorded for
each of the tap changer positions. The results would be
used to evaluate the impact of tap changer position on these
losses.
D. Voltage Stability Studies
Again, studies were carried out only for system healthy
conditions, by varying the tap changer position of the Zeus
400/765kV transformer, and calculating the voltage
stability.
 Figure 2: Geographic Layout of the Corridor in 2013

IV. DISCUSSION OF RESU

ULTS
from Zeus substation. These area 400kV and 765kV lines
connected to Hydra substation.
The results of the power flow, activee power losses and
voltage stability studies are discussedd in detail in the From the graphs, it can be seen that as the tap changer
following sections. For the purposes of thhese studies, the tap moves from 0.95pu to 1.05pu, the loading in the 400kV
changer position corresponding to a ratio r of 1.0115 is lines tends to decreases as commpared loading on the 765kV
regarded as the base case. lines which tends to increase. This results show that by
varying the transformer tap chhanger position, more power
A. Loadflows can be directed into or diverted from
f the 765kV lines.
The effect of varying the transformer tap changer on the
loading of the 400kV and 765 lines is preesented in Figure 3
and
Figure 4. Firstly, Figure 3 shows that
t the combined
loading of the Zeus Grootvlei 400kV linees can change from
813 MW, at transformer tap changer rattio of 0.95, to 772
MW at a ratio of 1.05. This means pow wer can be swung
from one extreme ratio to another, leaading a change in
power flow of 41 MW.
Similar observations are made in the case of Zeus
Mercury 765kV lines. Their total loadingg was 1296 MW at
tap changer ratio of 0.95pu, and was 13774 MW at the other
extreme of tap changer ratio of 1.05puu. This means that
power flowing in these lines can be channged by 78 MW by
merely moving the tap changer between thhe extreme ratios.
Similar, but to a lesser extent, effect of varying the tap Figure 3: Impact of Tap positions on botth 400kV and 765kV Lines Loading
changer position is noticeable on the linnes slightly farther (Zeus-Grootvlei andd Zeus-Mercury)
 Figure 4: Impact of Tap positions on 400kV and 765kV Line Loading
(Perseus-Gamma/Hydra and Beta/Perseus-Hydra)
B. Active Power System Losses
The issue of active power losses is presented in Figure
5, which shows impact of the tap changer position of the
resulting active power losses of the system.
As the tap changer position is moved, there is a net
power losses increase at a ratio of 0.95pu. This increase in
active power losses is reduced as the ratio is increased.
From a ratio of 1.02pu, losses start to decrease, and a
maximum reduction is achieved a ratio of 1.05pu.
The graph shows that losses can be changed from a net
increase of 8.4 MW, at a ratio of 0.95pu, to a net decrease of
4.3 MW, at a ratio of 1.05pu. This is a potential swing of
12.5 MW in active power losses. The swing, in financial
terms, based on the assumptions that Eskom [13] uses to
calculate a net present value (NPV) of a 1 MW of active
power loss or saving, is to the value of R250 million (or
approximately $31, 25 assuming an exchange rate of US $1:
South African R8) over a period of 25 years, and is therefore
worthy of attention.
Figure 5: Reduction in Active Power Losses with Tap Changer Position
C. Voltage Stability Studies
The effect of varying the tap changer position on the
transfer capability into the Cape network is shown
graphically in Figure 6.
Figure 6: Additional Power Transfer
At the tap changer position corresponding to the
transformer ratio of 0.95 pu, the transfer is seating at 85
MW less that at the starting position of ratio of 1.0115 pu.
As the ratio is increased, there is a maintained
improvement in the voltage stability limit realized.
Maximum voltage stability limit, which is 30 MW more
than the value used as a base, is achieved at the ratio of 1.05
pu.
The figure shows that as the tap changer ratios are
changed from a minimum of 0.95 pu to a maximum value of
1.05, the transfer can be changed, i.e., increased, by around
115 MW.
V. CONCLUSIONS
The study has shown that the tap changer of a
transformer can have a significant impact on the power
flow, active power losses, and voltage stability limits
obtained in a power system where high voltage transmission
lines are used, with power transformed from lower voltage
lines using transformers.
The study has shown that in such networks, depending
on the tap changer position chosen, power flowing in the
transmission lines can be made to swing within quite a
sizeable range as the position of the tap changer is varied. If
there are parallel networks at different voltages, the power
flows in these can be influenced by the position of the tap
changer.
Also, it has been shown by the study that active power
losses of the system can be varied quite substantially as the
position of a tap changer is varied through the allowable
range.
Lastly, the voltage stability limits calculated can be
seriously impacted by the position of the tap changer
chosen, with significantly higher transfers at certain tap
changer positions.
It is, therefore, important when planning and operating a
power system, that the setting of tap changers be considered
carefully. They can have a huge impact on the technical and
economic considerations for expansion and operation of the
network.
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