Reactive power management capabilities of Swedish sub-transmission and medium voltage level grid

Abstract: Rising penetration of renewable energy sources in electric power grids isboth a challenge and an opportunity to optimally utilize the potential of eitherwind or PV energy sources, to stabilize operation of future power systems.Bi-directional ows between distribution and transmission system operatorscause signicant problems with keeping the voltages in the grid within admissiblelimits. This paper contains description of Oland's island mediumandlow-voltage electric power grid, ranging from 0.4 kV to 130 kV in thepurpose of quasi-static analysis of active and reactive power ows in the system.Goal of the analysis is to optimize reactive power exchange at the pointof connection with the mainland grid. In the analyzed grid system, thereis an enormous, 190 % penetration of wind sources. Capacity of the windparks connected to dedicated buses totals to 136.1 MW, that supply up to90.5 MW of load. With industry-wise reactive power capability limits, totalcontribution of wind parks reaches almost 66 MVAr, enabling to compensatedecits and extra surpluses of the reactive power in the grid. Presentedsystem is connected to the mainland's grid through one point of connection,which is simulated as Thevenin equivalent circuit. Main objective of thethesis is to test and analyze viable solutions to minimize reactive power exchangeat the point of connection at Stavlo substation connecting Oland'sand Sweden's electric grid keeping valid all necessary contingencies enforcedby current grid codes applied in Sweden as well as thermal limits of the linesand voltage limits of the system. Furthermore, state of the art of currentreactive power compensation methodologies and most promising techniquesto eciently and eectively control reactive power ow are outlined. Droopcontrol methodologies, with focus on global and local objectives, and smartgrid solutions opportunities are being tested and modeled by the authors andare comprehensively presented in this paper. Moreover, economic costs ofcontrol methods are compared. Analysis of active power losses in the systemas well as cost of implementation of alternative solutions is presented, wheremost nancially viable solutions are outlined, giving brief outlook into futureperspectives and challenges of electric power systems. It is shown that controllabilityof reactive power support by wind turbine generators can enhanceoperation of electric power grids, by keeping the reactive power ow minimizedat the boundary between grids of distribution and transmission systemoperators. Furthermore, results indicate that extra reactive power supportby wind turbine generators can lead to diminishment of active power losses inthe system. Presented system is being modeled in the PSS/E software dedicatedfor power system engineers with use of Python programming languages.Analysis of data was done either in Python or R related environments. Thesiswas written with cooperation between KTH and E.On Energidistribution AB.