State-based Volt/VAR control strategies for active distribution networks

• Published in: International journal of electrical power & energy systems 2018-09, Vol.100, p.411-421
• Main Authors: Yilmaz, Mehmet, El-Shatshat, Ramadan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active distribution systems; Distributed generation (DG); Smart grid; Volt/VAR control; Voltage violation
• ISSN: 0142-0615; 1879-3517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijepes.2018.02.040

•The development of a comprehensive, state-based VVC control for active distribution systems.•Optimal operation by adjusting the objectives and control devices according to operating condition variations.•Operational flexibility for distribution system operators for multiple possible operating conditions.•The development of a rule-based algorithm for cases where there is a need for quick control actions. Voltage limit violation represents a crucial power system problem, and many Volt/VAR control (VVC) strategies have been proposed to tackle violations. However, no comprehensive VVC strategy is available for use under all possible system operating conditions. This paper presents a generic solution to the VVC problem of the systems with wind-based renewable distributed generations (DGs) with the primary goal of determining an optimal control strategy based on system status, identified from system voltages. Each state-based strategy has individual state-related objective functions and control devices, including minimization of power losses, operational control costs, and voltage deviation. For both normal-state and intermediate-state operations, the optimization algorithm is implemented, but for emergency states, to be able to take action quickly, a new rule-based control strategy is proposed. Modified IEEE 34 and 123 bus test feeders are employed to validate the algorithm’s accuracy under consideration of stochastic nature of wind-based DGs.