Effective Volt/var Control for Low Voltage Grids with Bulk Loads

Abstract

This paper investigates the voltage and reactive power control problem in low voltage grids with connected prosumers and bulk loads. The X(U) local control, which maintains the voltage at the feeders’ ends within a predefined band, and its combination with Q-Autarkic customer plants are the most effective and reliable strategies in grids with high prosumer share. However, these strategies may need adaptations to guarantee voltage limit compliance when bulk loads, such as electric vehicle parking garages and community-owned photovoltaic systems, are connected to the low voltage feeders. This paper extends the X(U) local control concept to involve bulk loads in Volt/var control and investigates the resulting load flows in different real low voltage grids. The results show that the extended control arrangement reliably removes all voltage limit violations by deteriorating the effectiveness of the original X(U) local control arrangement: reactive power flows and equipment loading within the low voltage grids are increased.