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Voltage instability in power systems arises due to the shortage of reactive power and may cause abnormally low bus voltages leading to a partial or complete blackout. In order to maintain the system voltages within a safe limit, voltage control techniques such as shunt capacitor banks, Static VAR Compensators (SVCs), load shedding, and transformer tap-changer blocking, are employed. In this paper, a novel receding-horizon Model Predictive Control (MPC)-based voltage controller is proposed, which, by optimally controlling generator reactive power and SVC output, maintains the voltage stability of a power system. For this, a sensitivity-based analysis is performed to design a state-space model of the power system. The frequency and voltage dependency of load and generation are considered in the system equations. The voltage control is done step-wise, and the optimal control action in each step is calculated by minimizing a cost function subject to a set of relevant constraints. Different Voltage Stability Indices (VSIs) are used as a measure of voltage stability and also used in the constraints for the optimization problem. The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated on IEEE 9-, 39- and 118-bus systems, considering different types of loads and contingencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates an optimal methodology for mitigating low-frequency oscillation concerns in power systems. The study explores the synergistic integration of a power system stabilizer (PSS) and a flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) to formulate an intelligent controller. A comprehensive analysis encompasses various PSS design strategies, including lead-lag (LL), proportional-derivative-integral (PID), and fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) controllers. The FACTS device selected for this investigation is a static VAR compensator (SVC), highlighting the exceptional efficacy of FOPID-based PSS over alternative strategies with a power oscillation damper. The study extends its scope to encompass a comparative assessment of two distinct optimization algorithms: the moth flame optimization (MFO) and the antlion optimization (ALO). The research is conducted using a single-machine infinite bus power system (SMIB) as the case study platform. A total of four diverse test scenarios are executed under varying operating conditions. The evaluation of the developed method employs six distinct performance indices to investigate the developed controller thoroughly. The outcomes reveal that the MFO-optimized FOPID-PSS and SVC controller outperforms other control schemes. This optimized configuration demonstrates substantial improvements across all performance indices. These findings underscore the superior capabilities of the proposed approach in enhancing power system stability and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, an event-triggered finite-time neural control strategy is proposed for nonlinear power systems with unknown disturbances and static var compensator (SVC). We first transform the power system with SVC into a three-dimensional uncertain nonlinear system and then extend it to an n -dimensional uncertain nonlinear system. The disturbance observer is established to estimate external disturbances and the unknown nonlinear terms are approximated by the radial basis function neural networks. Moreover, to avoid the complexity explosion problem in the traditional backstepping method, the command filtering technique is adopted, and the error caused by the command filters is compensated. The adaptive event-triggered finite-time controller ensures that all signals are bounded in finite time and excludes Zeno phenomena. In the end, the simulation for the two-area interconnected power system with SVC is presented to verify the availability and feasibility of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new power system effectively integrates a large number of distributed renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic, wind energy, small hydropower, and biomass energy. This significantly reduces the reliance on fossil fuels and enhances the sustainability and environmental friendliness of energy supply. Compared to distribution networks in traditional power systems, the new-generation distribution network offers notable advantages in improving energy efficiency, reliability, environmental protection, and system flexibility, but it also faces a series of new challenges. These challenges include potential harmonic issues introduced by the widespread use of power electronic devices (such as inverters for renewable energy generation systems and electric vehicle charging stations) and the voltage fluctuations and flickering caused by the intermittency and uncertainty of renewable energy generation, which may affect the normal operation of electrical equipment. To address these challenges, this study proposes an optimization model aimed at minimizing network losses and voltage deviations, utilizing traditional capacitor adjustments and static var compensators (SVCs) as optimization measures. Furthermore, this study introduces an improved version of the multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm, specifically enhanced to address the unique challenges of reactive power optimization in modern distribution networks. The test results show that this algorithm can effectively generate a large number of Pareto optimal solutions. The application of this algorithm on a 33-node network case study demonstrates its advantages in reactive power optimization. The optimization results highlight the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed improved algorithm in the application of distribution network reactive power optimization, offering users a uniform and diverse range of reactive compensation solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel methodology to improve stability in a transmission system under critical conditions of operation when additional loads that take the system to the verge of stability are placed in weak bus bars according to the fast voltage stability index (FVSI). This paper employs the Newton–Raphson method to calculate power flows accurately and, based on that information, correctly calculate the FVSI for every transmission line. First, the weakest transmission line is identified by considering N − 1 contingencies for the disconnection of transmission lines, and then all weak nodes associated with this transmission line are identified. Following this, critical scenarios generated by stochastically placed loads that will take the system to the verge of instability will be placed on the identified weak nodes. Then, the methodology will optimally size and place a single static VAR compensator SVC in the system to take the transmission system to the conditions before the additional loads are connected. Finally, the methodology will be validated by testing the system for critical contingencies when any transmission line associated with the weak nodes is disconnected. As a result, this paper's methodology found a single SVC that will improve the system's stability and voltage profiles to similar values when the additional loads are not connected and even before contingencies occur. The methodology is validated on three transmission systems: IEEE 14, 30, and 118 bus bars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a ground fault location algorithm (GFLA) in double‐circuit transmission lines (DCTL) with a T‐off connection to an industrial microgrid (IMG) containing electric arc furnaces (EAF), renewable distributed generations (RDG), and static VAR compensator (SVC). The design presented utilizes the information on the current and voltage phasors of one side of the transmission lines (TL) during the fault period, and there is no need for the availability of information on the type of faulty phase(s) and even the faulty section. To find the exact location of the fault in this design, the voltage phasor equations governing the fault point in positive, negative, and zero‐sequence (PNZS) domains, the zero‐sequence current (ZSC) equation of the fault point, and the boundary condition equation of the fault point have been used. The simulation system is implemented in Simulink/MATLAB using accurate modelling of all network components. The algorithm has been tested and evaluated in different fault conditions, including various locations, phase types, phase‐to‐ground connection resistance, occurrence time, and microgrid (MG) operation modes. The successful results of various tests of the proposed design as well as the analysis of various sensitivities confirm the satisfying performance of the suggested algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTSs) have been widely incorporated in electric power systems in order to control system parameters. This paper proposes the modeling of four FACTS devices, using the Branch Flow Model (BF) as an optimization problem to reduce the complexity of the Newton–Raphson (NR) load flow code with FACTS devices. The devices are represented as variable impedances, as a function of a firing angle, and as voltage source converters (VSCs) located on the buses and transmission lines. This proposed model solves the problem associated with the selection of appropriate initial conditions of the parameters of each device that guarantee convergence. The model is validated by evaluating its percentage deviation with respect to the NR method, using the standard test systems, IEEE 5-bus, IEEE 14-bus, IEEE 30-bus, and IEEE 57-bus systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new methodologies for modeling static VAr compensators (SVCs) in the power flow problem. The proposed formulations utilize sigmoid functions to model the control equations that describe the steady-state behavior of SVCs. The first methodology introduces reactive power injection as a new state variable, while the second methodology utilizes the thyristor firing angle. These steady-state SVC methodologies were applied to the power flow problem using the full Newton formulation, which incorporates the control equations into the system of nonlinear equations. One of the main contributions of these proposed methodologies is that they eliminate the need for alternating adjustments concerning the operational limits of the SVC during the iterative power flow process. The implementation of a power flow program was tested on both small-scale tutorial systems and the medium-scale IEEE Nordic system. The presented results validate and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) devices is increasing day by day as they provide compensation for power systems. The installation of such devices solves many issues regarding the stability and power transferability of power systems. However, for optimizing the performance of FACTS devices, the location and sizes of FACTS devices must be selected very carefully. On the other side, the utilization of optimization techniques is increasing daily, as it is capable of solving nonlinear, random problems by its stochastic nature. As a result, it became a reliable tactic for solving stochastic problems almost in every aspect of our lives. Therefore, it is adopted for solving power system problems, like, FACTS devices allocation, distributed generators allocation, determining component's parameters, and more. In this paper, the optimal size and location of several FACTS devices are selected to achieve the following single objective functions separately: fuel cost minimization and power losses minimization, then combining the mentioned objective function into one multiobjective function for gross cost minimization. The power system optimized is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 30‐bus standard system, and the FACTS devices installed are static VAR compensator, thyristor control series compensator, and thyristor‐controlled phase shifter, while the optimization is performed using different conventional and recent optimization algorithms, including a newly developed algorithm, typically Leader Walrus Optimization Algorithm "LWaOA," making a comparison among such algorithms to investigate the algorithm that possesses the best performance. The results of the optimization processes show the superiority of LWaOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a coordinated voltage control scheme for transmission systems based on linearized power flow functions to determine the set points of local control voltage devices. The scheme considers models and interactions between different devices to attain the appropriate performance (non-optimal or optimal) of the whole power system. The sensitivity analysis is used to formulate a partly linearized model that relates the voltage variations of buses to the reactive power variation of synchronous machines, settings of static VAr compensators (SVCs), shunt capacitors susceptance, and tap position of load tap changers (LTCs) to determine the set of the settings of the voltage control devices. Two formulations are proposed by considering the susceptance of SVCs or the slope and reference voltage of characteristics of SVCs as control variables. The developed formulation based on the linearized power flow functions provides the possibility of the practical implementation of the coordinated voltage control scheme, especially the optimal one, by reducing the model complexity and solving time. The performance of the proposed formulations is investigated by some studies of voltage control and an optimally coordinated problem on the IEEE 30-bus and IEEE 118-bus test systems. • Coordinated voltage control of a wide variety of voltage control devices dispersed on the transmission network. • Formulating a partly linearized model based on a sensitivity analysis of nonlinear power flow functions. • Formulations by considering two different models for SVC. • Applicable to both non-optimal coordinated or optimal coordinated problems. • Considering a complete set of objectives, including operation indices of the network and fast and slow voltage control devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The depletion of conventional fuel reserves and the high carbon emissions have alarmed the energy sector drivers. The integration of renewable energy resources (RERs) towards power system transformation is an obvious approach for a new-zero future. However, this integration also brings challenges in terms of voltage stability and power losses due to the variable output of RERs. To address these challenges, this work proposes a novel approach utilizing photovoltaic (PV) inverters and static var compensators (SVCs) for reactive power control in power distribution networks (PDNs). It enhances voltage stability and minimizes power losses. The proposed study deploys a proximal policy optimization (PPO) algorithm for real-time communication and control between reactive power devices. Performance evaluation was made on an IEEE-33 Bus system to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in integrating RER-based distributed generators (DGs). The proposed system achieved 68 % voltage control, keeping the voltage within a certain range of ±5 % while minimizing power losses. The proposed system also reduced the voltage out-of-control ratio to 0.044, which indicates minimum voltage deviation from the standard value. The proposed study provides a promising solution for controlling the voltage of DGs integrated PDN, which can potentially enhance the efficiency and reliability of the power system. • This paper introduces PV inverters and SVC-based reactive power voltage regulation for renewable DG-integrated systems. • Reactive power control in the DG-integrated system is adopted using Reinforcement Learning-Driven PPO. • The validation of the proposed method uses the IEEE-33 bus system to integrate RERs-based DGs and achieve PPO-based control. • The proposed method achieved 68% voltage control, reduced power loss, and reduced the voltage out-of-control ratio to 0.044. • This research compares the suggested approach to different methodologies to demonstrate its validity and applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the expansion of distributed power systems and renewable energy worldwide, the use of synchronous condensers (SC) has been gradually increasing to maintain the power quality of an electric grid. Because SC generates fewer harmonics and has the advantage of strengthening system inertia, it is considered as a primary option in Korea over other options such as Static Var Compensator (SVC) and STATic synchronous COMpensator (STATCOM). If superconductor synchronous condenser (SSC) is applied instead of SC, it brings more advantages: (1) it can minimize the adverse impact on the power system due to lower synchronous reactance, and (2) the higher power density can lead to many advantages in a limited area of substation. With these backgrounds, we report a design study on 40 MVAr SSC with no-insulation high-temperature superconductor (NI-HTS) field coil. Firstly, design criteria and procedures for electromagnetic design were set. Secondly, with the design procedure, the electromagnetic design having the minimum HTS conductor usage was obtained among the designs satisfying design criteria. Based on the final design, key characteristics of SSC including no-load voltage, the maximum flux density under the rated-load condition, V-curve characteristic, synchronous reactance, zero sequence reactance, negative sequence reactance, critical current, and NI-HTS characteristics were calculated by using finite element method. Lastly, the design comparison between SSC and SC was presented. • The use of synchronous condensers has been gradually increasing. • Superconductor synchronous condenser is a promising alternative option. • It has not only a much lower synchronous reactance but also a higher power density. • The advantages were confirmed through the electromagnetic design study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reactive power management. • Point estimation method. • Hony Badger algorithm. • Two-stage stochastic programming. • Inverter reactive power capability. In order to reduce the Static Var Compensators' (SVCs') initial investment costs and their anticipated yearly running costs, this paper offers a two-layer methodology for the allocation and sizing of the SVCs in radial distribution systems. First, the Power Loss (PLI) is used to choose the best candidate buses for allocating SVCs. A two-stage stochastic programming algorithm is then proposed to solve the sizing problem, with the Point Estimate Method (PEM) being used to account for the uncertainties in the PV and load powers. Analysis is also done on the advantages of combining the SVCs and the PV inverter's ability to provide reactive power. The optimization problem is solved using Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA) and compared to Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA), Beetle antenna based Grey Wolf Optimization (BGWO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA). The IEEE 33 and 69 radial bus systems have been used to validate the suggested methodology. The findings demonstrate that, HBA models delivered the best outcomes in terms of convergence characteristics and computation time. When considering the PV inverter's capability to provide reactive power, estimated yearly operating costs are reduced by 17.44 % and 36.36 % for compensations of 600 kVAR and 1,000 kVAR, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively compensate negative sequence current (NSC) of the V/v traction system and reduce the capacity and cost of railway power conditioner (RPC), a low-cost hybrid railway power conditioner (HRPC) technology scheme considering regenerative braking energy is proposed in this paper. The proposed HRPC consists of an RPC with a modular multilevel converter structure (MMC-RPC) and a railway static var compensator (RSVC). First, the circuit topology of the proposed scheme and the principle of NSC compensation considering regenerative braking energy are given. Then, the capacity configurations of MMC-RPC and RSVC are presented to reduce the capacity of active equipment and further lower the investment cost of HRPC. On this basis, the HRPC with energy storage units (ESU-HRPC) is studied to recycle the remaining regenerative braking energy, and the difference from the proposed HRPC is further analyzed. Subsequently, the capacities of HRPC and ESU-HRPC are designed based on the measured power data from a heavy-haul railway in China as an example. Besides, the system control strategy is given. Finally, the proposed technical schemes are verified by the hardware in loop (HIL) experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]