Voltage Stability Studies

Voltage stability studies determine bus voltage profiles and power flows in the system before, during, and immediately after a major disturbance.

Dynamic VAR compensation devices provide the support demanded by stalled motor loads, as well as voltage stability during and immediately after faults on the system. Voltage stability studies can be used to determine the ratings and effectiveness of these devices.

Dynamic VAR compensation devices can also be applied in power systems with wind farms to stabilize system voltages under varying wind conditions, and provide dynamic VAR support and power consumption to help the wind turbines ride through system fault conditions. Voltage stability studies can be used to verify that a wind farm will ride through the system fault conditions for which equipment is rated.

A voltage stability study is critically dependent on proper modeling of the system loads. S&C’s Power Systems Services engineers have developed load models that accurately represent the voltage response of these loads to major system disturbances. Power System Simulator for Engineering, PSS/E™, is used to perform voltage stability studies.