Investigation and Determination to the Most Effective Method of Voltage Control for Zone Substations

Abstract: Power quality is an issue of ever increasing importance, and with ever increasingcustomer expectations on such issues, the significance of supplying customers withhigh quality power can never be underestimated. One of the most important mattersthat define power of good quality is the voltage level each customer is supplied with.Most appliances are designed to operate satisfactorily only within a narrow range ofsupply voltages. Inappropriate supply voltages can not only result in poor performingappliances, it can also cause equipment damage, increase distribution losses anddecrease the revenue for the power supplier.The point that is electrically closest to the consumers, where the voltage is activelyregulated and monitored, is usually in a zone substation, where on load tap changerson the zone substation transformers ensure that the voltage in the distribution networkis kept within appropriate limits. The supply voltage is therefore directly reliant oncorrect operation and functionality of the on load tap changers and their controllingautomatic voltage regulators. The main objective that this thesis seeks to achieve is todetermine the most effective method of voltage control to be utilised with differenttypes of zone substations, primarily with respect to the algorithms utilised in theautomatic voltage regulator.Metering data from the distribution network has been utilised to examine the presentvoltage performance of the distribution network. Different reasons that can causevoltage fluctuations and unpredictable voltage performance are investigated anddiscussed. Voltage levels that are investigated are steady-state voltages, hencetransients, flicker, and sags and swells of short duration have not been taken intoconsideration. The present voltage levels are also examined in network models, withthe aim to investigate the impact of altered methods of voltage control in zonesubstations. The accuracy of the utilised network models is also investigated, bycomparing metering data to modelled voltage levels.This thesis is undertaken with the assistance of Ergon Energy Corporation Limited, acorporation owned and operated by the Queensland Government. Ergon Energy ownsand operates the subtransmission and distribution network in regional Queensland. Itis intended that this thesis will aid understanding of the voltage performance of thedistribution network, and that it will bring clarity to how the voltage in thedistribution network should be controlled in order to achieve optimum voltageperformance.