Optimal SVC allocation in power systems using lightning attachment procedure optimization

Abstract

Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) technology is widely adopted and utilized to maintain the performance of power systems. However, the improvements of power system performance achieved by FACTS devices depend on the right sizing and allocation of such devices. For technical and economic considerations, a FACTS device's location and size should be selected very carefully in order to maximize its benefits to the power system. In this paper, the sizing and location of a static VAR compensator (SVC) are optimally determined using a new optimization technique called lightning attachment procedure optimization (LAPO). The optimal allocation of the SVC is determined regarding the improvement of voltage deviation index and the reduction of total active power losses. The system is optimized in two cases: Once without SVC installation in order to find out the optimal settings of the system that achieve the objective functions, and another time with SVC installation to determine its optimum sizes and locations by which the required objective functions are achieved. Then the system performance is analyzed after optimization with and without SVC devices to show the impact of the optimum sizing and location of the SVC on the system. The study is validated using the standard IEEE 30-bus system, while the developed LAPO is performed by MATLAB M-Files and the system performance analysis in different cases is performed by NEPLAN software.