Reactive Power and Voltage Control

Peter W. Sauer
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

NSF Workshop on applied mathematics for

deregulated power systems:
Optimization, Control and Computational Intelligence
Nov 3-4, 2003, Alexandria, VA

PSERC1
 15 years of interesting stuff
Proceedings: Bulk Power System Voltage Phenomena -
Voltage Stability and Security, Potosi, MO, Sep 19-24,
1988

Proceedings NSF Workshop on Bulk Power System

Voltage Phenomena Voltage Stability and Security,
Deep Creek Lake, MD, Aug. 4-7, 1991

Proceedings of the Bulk Power System Voltage

Phenomena - III Seminar on Voltage Stability, Security
& Control, Davos, Switzerland, August 22-26, 1994

PSERC2
 15 years of interesting stuff
Proceedings of the Symposium on "Bulk Power System
Dynamics and Control IV - Restructuring", Santorini,
Greece, August 24-28, 1998

Proceedings Bulk Power Systems Dynamics and

Control V - Security and Reliability in a Changing
Environment, Onomichi, Japan, August 26-31, 2001

Proceedings Bulk Power Systems Dynamics and

Control VI, Cortina, Italy, August 22-27, 2004

PSERC3
What is reactive power?
1.5

0.5
Voltage
0
Current
-0.5

-1

-1.5

It is all in the phase shift

PSERC4
Instantaneous power (one phase)

0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
Power
0.2
0.1
0
-0.1
-0.2

PSERC5
 Deomposed into two terms
0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3 Real power P (1-cos(2wt))

0.2

0.1

0
P = .275 PU Watts

0.3

- Q sin(2wt))
0.2

0.1

0 Reactive power

-0.1

-0.2
Q = 0.205 PU VARS
-0.3

PSERC6
Steady-state frequency-domain model

S = V I * = P + jQ

Important thing here is that for a given

amount of real power P, and a given
voltage, the existence of Q causes
current to be higher than necessary to
provide P – i.e. VARS clog up the system

PSERC7
 PQ capability curve
• Shouldn’t just use
Q(MVAR)
fixed MVAR limit
(MVAR limit is a
Qmax ( P3* )
Qmax ( P2* ) function of MW
Qmax ( P1* ) dispatch)

• Perhaps unit
P(MW)
0 P3* P2* P1* commitment should
consider VAR
support capability
Qmin ( P1* )
Qmin ( P2* )
Qmin ( P3* ) • More on this later

PSERC8
What is voltage control?

Generator excitation

TCUL transformers

Switched capacitors and inductors

SVC and other FACTS devices

PSERC9
Which is which and what is what?
VARS are the problem and the solution for
voltage control
Transmission line losses (I2X)
Voltage drop (IX)
Local load compensation - current reduction

Response
Milliseconds to seconds
Zero to 1,000 MVARS
They do go long distances - just not very efficiently (Local
supply is best)

PSERC10
A competitive environment

VARS are a commodity?

Voltage control is a service?

How do you allocate VAR losses?

How do you charge/compensate for

voltage control?

PSERC11
 Opportunity costs
Q(MVAR)

Qmax ( P3* ) $/MVAR

*
Qmax ( P )
2

Qmax ( P1* )
P1* > P2* > P3*

P(MW)
0 P3* P2* P1*

Qmin ( P1* )
Qmin ( P2* )
Qmin ( P3* )
Qmin ( P3* ) Qmin ( P2* ) Qmin ( P1* ) Qmax ( P1* ) Qmax ( P2* ) Qmax ( P3* )

Q (MVAR)

PSERC12
 Challenges in voltage control

Determining AVR set points and

supplementary input signals

Modeling what really happens when

excitation systems hit limits

Optimal placement and control of SVC

and other VAR sources

PSERC13
 Optimal Power Flow

Minimize total system costs

f ( x)  a i
i  all system
 bi PGi  ci PGi 2 
buses in
ALL areas

subject to constraints

PSERC14
 Equality Constraints

The power flow equations

  
N
Pk  0  Vk  Vm g km cos k  m   bkm sin k  m   PGk  PLk
m 1

 0  V V  g 
N
Qk k m km sin k  m   bkm cos k  m   QGk  QLk
m 1

Generator voltage set-points

VGi  VGi setpo int  0

MW interchanges (contract agreements)

Pinterchange  Psceduled interchange   P   P
tie lines
km sceduled interchange 0

PSERC15
 Inequality Constraints

Generator Limits Line Limits

2 2
PGi min  PGi  PGi max S km  S km max  0

QGi min  QGi  QGi max

Tap Limits Voltage Limits

t km min  t km  t km max Vi min  Vi  Vi max
 km min   km   km max
PSERC16
 Information from OPF solution

Marginal cost of real power in $/MWh at

each system bus

Marginal cost of reactive power in

$/MVARh at each system bus

PSERC17
Value of a Reactive Power Source

This example illustrates the use of a

capacitor as a reactive power
source for voltage control

It shows that a capacitor effects the

available transfer capability

It shows the economic value of the

VARS
PSERC18
 Three-bus case with no area
power transfer
413 MW
20.26 $/MWH 69 MVR
0.00 $/MVRH Bus 3 Area Two
74 MW 1.04 PU
-15 MVR 239 MW
55 MVR

Area One 100 MW

30 MVR -228 MW
-21 MVR
-73 MW
22 MVR 74 MW -72 MW System Voltage
22.58 $/MWH
Bus 1
72 MVR
50.08 $/MWH
-64 MVR 0.57 $/MVRH
0.9709 PU
Constraint
1.04 PU 0.00 $/MVRH Bus 2
0.96 < Vi < 1.04
502 MW 500 MW 300 MW
100 MVR 100 MVR 14 MVR
194 MVR

No power transfer
Total Cost = $25,743/hr PSERC19
 Three-bus case with 15 MVAR
support at load
668 MW
25.35 $/MWH 59 MVR
0.00 $/MVRH Bus 3 Area Two
214 MW 1.04 PU
-26 MVR 353 MW
55 MVR

Area One 100 MW

30 MVR voltage constraint
-330 MW

-201 MW
16 MVR limits the power
-27 MW 30 MW
78 MVR
112 MVR -102 MVR
55.23 $/MWH
54.75 $/MVRH
transfer
Bus 1 38.57 $/MWH 0.9600 PU
1.04 PU 0.00 $/MVRH Bus 2

271 MW 500 MW 300 MW

100 MVR 100 MVR 14 MVR
290 MVR

Maximum power transfer = 244 MW

Total Cost = $21,346/hr = savings of $4,397/hr
PSERC20
 Three-bus case with 30 MVAR
support at load
754 MW
27.07 $/MWH 56 MVR
0.00 $/MVRH Bus 3 Area Two
261 MW 1.04 PU
-25 MVR 393 MW
51 MVR

Area One 100 MW

30 MVR voltage constraint
-364 MW
-242 MW
36 MVR limits the power
-60 MW 64 MW
101 MVR
122 MVR -109 MVR
38.02 $/MWH
13.42 $/MVRH
transfer
Bus 1 34.89 $/MWH 0.9600 PU
1.04 PU 0.00 $/MVRH Bus 2

198 MW 500 MW 300 MW

100 MVR 100 MVR 28 MVR
323 MVR

Maximum power transfer = 325 MW

Total Cost = $20,898/hr = additional savings of $448/hr
PSERC21
 Three-bus case with 45 MVAR
support at load
786 MW
27.72 $/MWH 51 MVR
0.00 $/MVRH Bus 3 Area Two
278 MW 1.04 PU
408 MW
-24 MVR
44 MVR voltage constraint
Area One 100 MW
30 MVR
does not limit
-377 MW

-257 MW
49 MVR “economic”
110 MVR -73 MW
122 MVR
77 MW
-107 MVR
32.82 $/MWH power transfer
Bus 1 1.05 $/MVRH
33.52 $/MWH 0.9631 PU
1.04 PU 0.00 $/MVRH Bus 2

170 MW 500 MW 300 MW

100 MVR 100 MVR 42 MVR
332 MVR

Maximum power transfer = 355 MW

Total Cost = $20,849/hr = additional savings of $49/hr
PSERC22
Relationships between maximum
power transfer and voltage control

DC case - no VARS needed

AC case - VARS do help

AC case - even an infinite amount of

VARS will not always help

PSERC23
Five
Two
Three
Four
One
Six
No lights
lights
lights
light
lights
lightson
on
on
on
onon
20
23
24
25
14
0 Watts
Watts total
total
(room
(some
(roomgetslight
is dark)
brighter)
darker)
in room)
Voltage
Voltagedropsis normal
more
some

PSERC24
PSERC25
 Case 1: All Lines In-Service
3,000 MW transfer – 500 MW per line

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1150 MVR 1150 MVR
1.00 PU 1.00 PU

East generator is
Voltage is 100% of rated voltage.
below 1,200 MVAR
(300 MVARs required by lines).
limit. PSERC26
26
 Case 2: One Line Out
3,000 MW transfer – 600 MW per line

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1176 MVR 1186 MVR
1.00 PU 1.00 PU

East generator is
Voltage is 100% of rated voltage
below 1,200 MVAR
(362 MVARs required by lines).
limit. PSERC27
27
 Case 3: Two Lines Out
3,000 MW transfer – 750 MW per line

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1253 MVR 1200 MVR
1.00 PU 1.00 PU

East generator is at
Voltage is 100% of rated
1,200 MVAR limit.
(453 MVARs required by lines).
PSERC28
28
 Case 4: Three Lines Out
3,000 MW transfer – 1,000 MW per line

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1411 MVR 1200 MVR
1.00 PU 0.99 PU

East generator is at
Voltage is only 99% of rated
1,200 MVAR limit.
(611 MVARs required by lines).
PSERC29
29
 Case 5: Four Lines Out
3,000 MW transfer – 1, 500 MW per line

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1757 MVR 1200 MVR
1.00 PU 0.97 PU

East generator is at
Voltage has dropped to 97% of rated voltage
1,200 MVAR limit.
(957 MVARs required by lines).
PSERC30
30
 Case 6: Five Lines Out
System Collapse

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

8926 MW 3000 MW
3500 MVR 1200 MVR
1.00 PU 0.77 PU

This simulation could not solve the case of 3,000 MW transfer with five
lines out. Numbers shown are from the model’s last attempt to solve.
The West generator’s unlimited supply of VARs is still not sufficient to
maintain the voltage at the East bus. PSERC31
31
 Case 7: Two lines out - full voltage control

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1226 MVR 1226 MVR

1.00 PU
1.00 PU
(452 MVARs required by lines).

PSERC32
32
 Case 8: Three lines out - full voltage control

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1303 MVR 1303 MVR

1.00 PU (606 MVARs required by lines). 1.00 PU

PSERC33
33
 Case 9: Four lines out - full voltage control

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
1461 MVR 1461 MVR

1.00 PU (922 MVARs required by lines).

1.00 PU

PSERC34
34
 Case 10: Five lines out - full voltage control

West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 6000 MW
1000 MVR

9000 MW 3000 MW
2000 MVR 2000 MVR

1.00 PU
(2,000 MVARs required by lines).
1.00 PU

PSERC35
35
 Case 11: How much could this have handled?

4,900 MW
West East

6000 MW
1000 MVR 7900 MW
1000 MVR

10900 MW 3000 MW
4997 MVR 5000 MVR

1.00 PU
1.00 PU

PSERC36
36
 The challenge of security analysis

Traditional security analysis uses N-1

criteria (withstand the outage of one thing)

A challenging and useful margin would be to

compute the minimum number of things
that can be lost without resulting in
cascading failure

PSERC37
PSERC38