Transmission System Performance Improvement through Reactive Power Compensation

Abstract

Transmission lines carry bulk power from generating stations to load centers. Utility regulations limits substantial amount of voltage drop in any network to ensure efficient and reliable operation of interconnected grid. Reactive power compensation is essential for safe and efficient performance of modern power systems. Improperly managed reactive power flows result in poor voltage regulation, consumer dis-satisfaction, increased power losses and sometimes long duration system outages. In this paper, the simulation studies are carried out on 132kV and 66 kV networks of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) to analyze bus voltages and system efficiency. Voltages at some of the 132 kV buses are observed below accepted lower limits of 5%. Even some of the buses were having voltage less than 90% of the rated voltage. Suitable reactive power compensation through fixed capacitors is proposed and benefits are confirmed through simulation of modified network as voltages of all the buses have significant improvement. Power losses in the system are also reduced from 5.39% to 4.24% through proposed capacitors