Reactive Power Management and Voltage Stability

Sharma Kolluri, IEEE Fellow Manager of Transmission Planning Entergy Services Inc Presentation at 2012 Southeast Symposium on Contemporary Engineering Topics (SSCET) October 26, 2012 New Orleans, Louisiana

Outline
Background/Introduction VAR Basics Voltage Stability FIDVR Technology Summary

List of recent blackouts

1. NE blackout - August 14, 2003 2. Greece July 12, 2004 3. Florida February 26, 2008 4. Southeast Power Outage/San Diego September 8, 2011 5. India July 31, 2012

Recommendation#23
Strengthen Reactive Power and Control Practices in all NERC Regions Reactive power problem was a significant factor in the August 14 outage, and they were also important elements in the several of the earlier outages -Quote form the outage report

Reactive Power Basics

Laws of Reactive Physics

Complex Power called Volt Amperes (VA) is comprised of resistive current IR and reactive current IQ times the voltage. VA
VA = VIT* = V (IR jIQ) = P + jQ
Q P

Power Factor (PF) = Cosine of angle between P and VA

P = VA times PF

System Losses
Ploss = IT2 R (Watts) Qloss = IT2 X (VARs)
North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Reactive Physics VAR loss

Every component with reactance, X: VAR loss = IT2 X Z is comprised of resistance R and reactance X
On 138kV lines, X = 2 to 5 times larger than R. One 230kV lines, X = 5 to 10 times larger than R. On 500kV lines, X = 25 times larger than R. R decreases when conductor diameter increases. X increases as the required geometry of phase to phase spacing increases.

VAR loss
Increases in proportion to the square of the total current. Is approximately 2 to 25 times larger than Watt loss.

North American Electric Reliability Corporation

Transmission Line Real and Reactive Power Losses vs. Line Loading

Source: B. Kirby and E. Hirst 1997, Ancillary-Service Details: Voltage Control, ORNL/CON-453, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn., December 1997.

Static and Dynamic VAR Support

Static Reactive Power Devices
Cannot quickly change the reactive power level as long as the voltage level remains constant. Reactive power production level drops when the voltage level drops. Examples include capacitors and inductors.

Dynamic Reactive Power Devices

Can quickly change the MVAR level independent of the voltage level. Reactive power production level increases when the voltage level drops. Examples include static VAR compensators (SVC), synchronous condensers, and generators.

Reactive Power Management

Effectively balancing capacitive and inductive components of a power system to provide sufficient voltage support. Essential for reliable power system operation.
Prevention of voltage collapse

Benefits
Improves efficiency of power delivery. Improves utilization of transmission assets. Reduces congestion and increases power transfer capability. Enhances grid security.

VARs flow from High voltage to Low voltage; import of VARs indicate reactive power deficit

Reactive Power for Voltage Support

Reactive Loads

Voltage Stability

What is Voltage Instability/Collapse?

A power system undergoes voltage collapse if post-disturbance voltages are below acceptable limits
voltage collapse may be due to voltage or angular instability

Main factor causing voltage instability is the inability of the power systems to maintain a proper balance of reactive power and voltage control

Voltage Instability/Collapse
The driving force for voltage instability is usually the load. The possible outcome of voltage instability:
loss of loads loss of integrity of the power system

Voltage stability timeframe:

transient voltage instability: 0 to 10 secs long-term voltage stability: 1 10 mins

Key Concerns

Voltage (pu)

Limit UVLS activation

Minimize motor tripping

P-V Curve

Q-V Curve
Q-V Curve with Detailed Load Model
Peak Load with Fixed Taps

120 100 80 60 40
Mvars

200

Base Case Contingency

20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80

Voltage (p.u.)

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

Voltages at Goslin 138kV Station

Voltage (volts)

Time (seconds)

Common Solutions for Voltage Instability

Install/Operate Shunt Capacitor/Reactor Banks Add dynamic Shunt Compensation in the form of SVC/STATCOM/DVAR to mitigate transient voltage dips Add Series Compensation on transmission lines in the problem area Construct transmission facilities Coordinate Voltage Schedules/Reactive Power Flows Implement UVLS Scheme

Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery (FIDVR)

Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery (FIDVR)

What is it? After a fault has cleared, the voltage stays at low levels (below 80%) for several seconds Results in dropping load / generation or fast voltage collapse 4 key factors drive FIDVR: Fault Duration Fault Location High load level with high induction motor load penetration Unfavorable Generation Pattern

A Near Fast Voltage Collapse in Phoenix in 1995

North American Electric Reliability Council, System Disturbances, Review of Selected 1995 Electric System Disturbances in North America, March 1996.

Technology for Addressing Reactive Power/Voltage Stability Problems

Porter SVC

Porter Static Var Compensator (SVC)

Maintains system voltage by continuously varying VAR output to meet system demands. Controls capacitor banks on the transmission system to match reactive power output to the load requirements.

Series Capacitor Dayton Bulk 230kV Station

The Capacitor offsets reactance in the line, making it appear to the system to be half of its actual length. Power flows are redirected over this larger line, unloading parallel lines and increasing transfer capability.

Static compensator (STATCOM)

Voltage source converter device Alternating voltage source behind a coupling reactance Can be operated at its full output current even at very low voltages Depending upon manufacturer's design, STATCOMs may have increased transient rating both in inductive as well as capacitive mode of operation
System bus
V Transformer I X E
DC-AC switching converter

Cs Vdc

Schematic diagram of STATCOM

Natchez DVAR

138 kV

Metro

34.5 kV

T M

25.2 MVAR

34.5 kV FDR

34.5 kV 480 V

D-VAR

Summary
The increasing need to operate the transmission system at its maximum safe transfer limit has become a primary concern at most utilities Reactive power supply or VAR management is an important ingredient in maintaining healthy power system voltages and facilitating power transfers Inadequate reactive power supply was a major factor in most of the recent blackouts

Questions?