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The impact that renewable energy sources interfaced by power electronics have on power systems becomes more important as their share in the generation mix increases, thus requiring detailed analyses that take into account their dynamics and controllers. In this study, the impact of photovoltaic (PV) power plants on the power system of northern Chile is analysed. The studied plants employ a controller that allows power converters to interact with the grid like virtual synchronous generators, and their model includes the dynamics of the plant and converter controllers, as well as the dc and PV system. The presented analysis, which comprises modal analysis and time-domain simulations of large disturbances, evaluates the impact of these plants with respect to PV plants based on a conventional converter controller. Tests and validations of the proposed models and controllers are carried out for an actual PV plant connected to the power system of northern Chile, and for a higher PV penetration case. The results show the ability of PV plants formed by virtually synchronous power converters to limit frequency excursions induced by large power imbalances, and to mitigate power oscillations of the synchronous machines in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]