Analysis of Methods for Determining the Optimal Location of a Static Var Compensator for Power Systems

Abstract

With the increase in the number of electrical loads with large value of reactive power consumption there is a need to use special devices which can provide stable and uninterrupted power supply in condition of fast and significant disturbances in regional power supply system. One of these compensators is the static var compensator (SVC). At present there isn’t a generally accepted method for choosing optimal location of SVC in local power system. There are different methods based on different optimality criterions influence on location of compensators such as: minimum of active power losses in power system’s elements, minimum of voltage deviations, optimal operation modes of synchronous generators of regional power plants and others. In the paper the analysis of two different methods (method with teaching learning based optimization algorithm and method takes into account power losses in power lines, and SVC equipment cost) are made. Strengths and weaknesses of these methods have been shown. On the results of the analysis a need of developing of the new improved method united positive aspects of both approaches has been justified.