FACTS Technology for

Reactive Power Compensation and System Control

H. K. Tyll, SM IEEE

Abstract Types of Var Sources

In the early days of power transmission in the late 19th System components
century problems like voltage deviation during load ƒ Inductances in electrical machines,
changes and power transfer limitation were observed transmission lines, transformers, reactors
due to reactive power unbalances. Today these ƒ Capacitances in transmission lines, cables
problems have even higher impact on reliable and Compensation components
secure power supply in the world of globalisation and ƒ Mechanically switched reactors and capacitors
privatisation of electrical systems and energy transfer. ƒ Synchronous condensers
Fast and highly reliable power electronic devices ƒ Thyristor controlled shunt and series
(thyristor valves) in Static Var Compensators (SVC) compensation
and HVDC applications proved their effectiveness in ƒ Converter controlled shunt and series
HV transmission systems to reduce energy transfer compensation
limitations. Further development in semiconductors
(GTO and IGCT) allowed new power electronic Types of reactive power compensation
configurations to be introduced to the tasks of power and application
transmission and load flow control. An overview is Shunt compensation Application Short -circuit Transmission
phase angle
level
given on existing shunt and series compensation
FACTS devices like SVC, Statcom, UPFC and voltage
stabilisation nearly slightly
TCSC/TPSC. In more detail operating characteristics, at heavy load unchanged increased
response times, space requirements, costs etc are MSC
discussed for the shunt compensation devices. Future
applications based on IGBT devices are discussed. voltage
stabilisation nearly slightly
at light load unchanged decreased
Introduction MSR

From the past towards the future the supply of fast voltage
control
electrical energy developed from separated utilities to SVC reactive
power control nearly controlled
unchanged
large interconnected systems. In former times Static Var Compensator
damping of
power swings
distributed power generation supplied load centers Statcom

within a limited supply area. These smaller systems Series compensation Application
Short-circuit Transmission
level phase angle
were operated at lower voltage levels. Nowadays
there is increased power exchange over larger long
transmission
distances at highest system voltages allowing reserve lines
increased much smaller

sharing and competition. Electrical energy shall be bulk power

transmission
Series Capacitor
made available at most locations at minimum cost and
at highest reliability. short
transmission
lines,
limitation of decreased much larger

Following problems have been observed in three- short-circuit

currents
Series Reactor
phase-systems:
ƒ Voltage control at various load conditions TCSC
SSSC PFC

ƒ Reactive power balance (voltage, transmission POD

SSR mitigation controlled controlled

losses) Thyristor Controlled Series

FCL

ƒ Stability problems at energy transfer over long Compensation, SSSC

distances
ƒ Increase of short circuit power in meshed systems Power transfer equation and influence of FACTS
ƒ Coupling of asynchronous systems devices
ƒ Coupling of systems with different system
U 1 δ1 U 2 δ2 Static Var Compensator
frequencies System X System (STATCOM)
1 2
The last two problems can be solved using HVDC P
U
U

technology and the upper ones can be solved by I

proper use of reactive power compensation based on

FACTS devices. U1 U2 Phase Shifting Transf.
P= sin ( δ 1 - δ 2 ) UA U T UB
UB UT
UA

Paper for IEEE/PES panel session

on FACTS, Nov 8-11, 04, Sao Paulo Unified Power Flow Controller
TCSC (SSSC)
Heinz K. Tyll is with Siemens AG - PTD H 166, X
UA UT UB
Im
UB
UT

P.O. Box 3220, D-91050 Erlangen, Germany UA

α Re

e-mail: heinz.tyll@siemens.com
The figure above shows influence of various devices.
Shunt compensation Statcom (GTO converter technology)

Tasks of dynamic shunt compensation

ƒ Steady state and dynamic voltage control VTr ∆V
ƒ Reactive power control of dynamic loads
ƒ Damping of active power oscillations I
ƒ Improvement of system stability

Examples of shunt compensation devices

SVC (Thyristor technology) VCon

Conventional SVCs consist of thyristor controlled
(TCR) and thyristor switched branches (TSC / TSR)
together with filter branches for harmonic current
absorption.
The operating principle is based on an inverter
configuration as shown above. The DC voltage of a
storage capacitor is applied to the network by
electronic switches forming a stair case waveform.

C o n tro l TCR TSC FC

The figure above shows a simplified single line of an

SVC
The figure below shows an example of an SVC for
(500 kV, ± 250 MVar) the East-West interconnection
in North-East Brazil.
The figure above shows the first Statcom project
138 kV / ± 100 MVar by TVA / EPRI / Westinghouse
(Sullivan, AEP, USA)

Site View of SVC Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil The major component in a Statcom is the GTO valve
configuration (Statcom

Statcom versus SVC

ƒ V / I - characteristic
ƒ Control range
ƒ Modularity
ƒ Response time
ƒ Transient behaviour
ƒ Operating losses
ƒ Space requirements
ƒ Availability
ƒ Investment costs
The figure above shows a light triggered thyristor Above table lists the major areas of differences
(LTT) valve module using LTT with integrated between Statcom and SVC.
overvoltage protection on the silicon wafer.
Basic differences Series compensation
Vprim
(pu) Tasks of dynamic series compensation
ƒ Reduction of load dependent voltage drops
1.8
ƒ Reduction of system transfer impedance
ƒ Reduction of transmission angle
2 cycles
SVC
1.5 transient
operation
SVC
ƒ Increase of system stability
transient
operation
12 cycles
ƒ Load flow control for specified power pathes
SVC
SVC
cont operation
ƒ Damping of active power oscillations
Design Uref= 1.035 pu 1.0 Design
SVC
point slope =3%
cap point
ind

Basic fixed capacitor scheme

0.5 Operating area STATCOM
continous and
transient
Operating characteristic SVC
VBase = 115 kV = 1.0 pu continous and
IBase = 150 MVar =1.0 pu transient

1.5 1.0 0.5 0 0.5 1.0 1.5

cap Iprim(pu) ind

The figure above shows the different V / I –charac-

teristics of Statcom and SVC. A Statcom is advan-
tageous at severe undervoltage conditions.

Loss Comparison

1750
STATCOM
245 Mvar cap to
Above figure shows the basic components of a fixed
1500 0 (20) Mvar ind series capacitor built up by two segments. MOV
arresters provide the fast overvoltage protection for
1250
the capacitors. Spark gaps are used to limit the
Pvtot (MVar)

1000
SVC (TSC/FC/TCR)
245 Mvar cap
energy absorption of the MOVs in case of severe
to 0 Mvar ind systems faults (so-called internal faults on series
750
compensated line sections).
500
SVC (FC/TCR)
245 Mvar cap to
250 0 Mvar ind Thyristor protected series capacitor (TPSC)
The use of a TCR branch in a series capacitor results
0
-250 -200 -150 -100 -50 0 50 in:
Qtot (MVar) ƒ Improved capacitor protection
ƒ Substitution of spark gaps
The figure above shows the loss – characteristics of a ƒ Removal of high energy absorption by MOV
Statcom and conventional SVC solutions. Losses of a
GTO Statcom are typically higher. Even higher losses
occur in a Statcom in case of IGBT applications. 8 7
7
1 series capacitor

Issue Statcom SVC 2 thyristor valve

V/I characteristic good undervoltage performance good overvoltage performance 1 as fast bypass - device
Current source Impedance 3 current limiting reactor
Control range Symmetrical freely adjustable to any range
otherwise Hybrid solutions by TCR/TSR /TSC branches 4 4 MOV
Modularity Same converter usable for various TCR/TSR/TSC branches
applications (STATCOM, UPFC, used in SVC and TCSC/TPSC 5 bypass circuit breaker
CSC, B2B etc) 3
Redundancy Redundancy
6 bypass damping reactor
2
no degraded mode Degraded mode operation 6 7 platform disconnects
Response time 1 to 2 cycle 2 to 3 cycle with grounding switch
PLATFORM
Transient behaviour Self protecting at critical system Available before, during and 5
faults after critical system conditions 8 bypass disconnect
Space requirements 40 to 50 % 100 %
Availabilty 96 to 98 % > 99 % Above figure shows the simplified single line of a
Investment costs 120 to 150 % 100 %
TPSC.
The table above summarises the major differences
between Statcom and SVC.
Thyristor controlled series capacitor (TCSC)
Above figure shows the TCSC Kayenta, Wapa, USA,
installed in 1992. TCSCs can provide continuous
control of the series capacitor impedance up to four
times the nominal impedance. TCSCs are also useful
for power oscillation damping, dynamic power flow
control and mitigation of subsynchronous resonance
conditions. Newer installations exist also in Brazil,
China and India.
Static synchronous series compensation
Series compensation can also be built up by the use
of Statcom converter technology. Similar valve
configurations are used.
SSSC
Above figure shows the connection principle of an
SSSC. A series voltage formed by the DC storage
capacitor and the converter configuration will be
introduced to the system in quadrature to the line
current. Capacitive as well inductive compensation is
possible.
Such SSSC configurations are also used in the
Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC, described later)
as series part of the whole device.
Two or more of the SSSC can be installed in a system
in parallel lines or at major substations with several
lines leaving to different areas. Such arrangement
allows power flow control under severe system
conditions.
SSSC configurations are used in the CSC (convertible
Static Compensator) project at Marcy, NYPA, USA.
The figure below shows a simplified single line of the
CSC Marcy.
Two inverters can be connected via transformers TR-
SE 1 and 2 to the different lines. Without inter-
connection on the DC bus they can be operated as
single SSSC.
With the chosen arrangement shown above various
operating modes like CSC, Statcom and UPFC are
also possible and allow flexible use of the whole
device. The installation was finally commissioned in
early 2004.
Dynamic shunt and series compensation
combined in Unified power flow controller (UPFC)
Using the converter technology series and shunt
devices can be combined by interconnection of the
DC bus. Such a UPFC can practically take over all
requirements on reactive power compensation.
Electronic generator to
provide reactive power
and insert real power
Line Load
Electronic generator to
provide reactive power
and extract real power
The figure above shows the simplified single line
diagram of an UPFC. UPFCs are installed at Inez
(AEP/USA) and Kanjin (KEPRI/Korea). Also the CSC
Marcy kann be used as UPFC.
Semiconductor technology
The development of FACTs devices mainly depends
on the development of the available semiconductor.
semiconductor devices like GTO / IGCT or IGBT (or
ever newer?) must still improve with regard to energy
handling of single devices.
Future aspects

ƒ Exchange of electrical energy in extended

Siemens systems requires flexible transmission
Electrically systems to provide solutions
triggered with regard to reactive power balance
thyristor
ƒ Conventional system components only
wafer provide limited adjustments
5.2 kV
3500 Aeff
ƒ Up to now power electronics like HVDC, SVC
and TCSC have proven reliable functioning

ƒ Further development of semiconductor

devices and configurations will increase the
use of power electronics in case of economic
manufacturing for high power applications
Siemens
Light
triggered
thyristor

wafer
7.5 kV
3500 Aeff

Toshiba
Gate-turn-off
thyristor
(GTO)

4.5 kV
appr 1500 Aeff

Fuji
Press Pack
IGBT
4,5kV
appr. 800Aeff

The development of FACTS devices is best described

by the four semiconductor types shown in the figures
above.
High power semiconductors are always essential to
built installations with lowest costs. The newer