CIRED 18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Turin, 6-9 June 2005

CO-ORDINATED VOLTAGE REGULATION IN DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

WITH EMBEDDED GENERATION

Roberto CALDON (*), Silvano SPELTA (**), Valter PRANDONI (**), Roberto TURRI (*)
(*) University of Padova Italy, (**) CESI Italy,
caldon@die.unipd.it, turri@die.unipd.it prandoni@cesi.it, spelta@cesi.it,

INTRODUCTION
The growing diffusion of Distributed Generation in the MV
networks is the result of several concurrent factors.
All these factors are changing the way energy is being
generated and consumed and the traditionally passive
distribution networks are starting to become active by the
integration of distributed generation.
MV distribution networks are characterised by feeders (aerial
or buried) with an almost unitary resistance/reactance ratio
which results in relatively high voltage drops and power
losses. In the absence of DG, voltage control actions are
traditionally performed by the HV/MV substation OLTC
transformer, possibly provided by a regulator for line drop
compensation, and by shunt compensators suitably located
within the network.
The uncontrolled power injection throughout the distribution
network provided by the DG, even though it may have a
beneficial effect in terms of power losses and voltage drop
reductions, makes it hard to perform the voltage regulation
with the traditional control strategies.
Assuming, as it is normally the case, that it is not possible to
control and/or limit the active power production of the
distributed independent generators, in this work a co-
ordinated voltage/reactive power control scheme is proposed
which enables the dispersed generator to participate,
together with the HV/MV substation OLTC transformer, to
the node voltage regulation of the feeder they are connected
to, thus ensuring a better voltage profile along the
distribution feeders.
The performance of the proposed control scheme has been
tested by dynamics simulations on a case study network
embedding distributed generation of various nature and
size.
CO-ORDINATED VOLTAGE CONTROL STRATEGY
Traditional distribution systems are characterised, in radial
configurations, by unidirectional power flows, i.e. the entire
active and reactive power demand of the various loads is
provided by the MV grid which is supplied by the HV
variations, and relies on the fact that the voltage profile
decreases along the feeders.
This control action may be further enhanced by providing a
line drop compensator which dynamically modifies the
reference voltage set point of the OLTC (typically switching
between two set points, for maximum and minimum loading
respectively). The values of the set points are usually
determined off-line on the basis of preliminary analysis of the
two extreme loading conditions, verifying that all network
node voltages are maintained within the permitted range.
The presence of DG, with the injection of active and reactive
power, alters the original passive nature of the distribution
network thus affecting the network voltage profile particularly
in the neighbouring of the DG connections and this calls for a
radical revision of the control strategies adopted so far [1].
Particularly stringent is the fact that in each network feeder
power may flow in both directions, the voltage profile is no
longer decreasing and thus each feeder has different
regulation voltage requirements. In addition, the variability of
operation of the independent distributed generators make any
regulation procedure based on constant (i.e. time
independent) voltage settings inadequate to ensure an
effective voltage control [2,3].
In fact, with the present reactive regulation practice imposed
to a DG (with no certainty that such service is provided by the
DG), the System Operator is bound to limit the network
voltage regulation range by an amount which is constrained
by the generator itself. This reduces the available regulation
range for new user connections since it is not possible to
define a fixed power factor which allows to compensate such
voltage variations for any load conditions.
MT active power MT
HV/MV
OLTC
Cos set point
voltage driver
control
P, Q, V feeder 1 P, Q, V feeder 3
Feeder 1
P, Q, V feeder 1 Def. reactive
Cos transit V
Cos set point control Cos DG
feeder 3 DG
V
P, Q, V feeder 3
Feeder 3

network through the Primary Substation transformer. Def. reactive

transit
Cos DG DG
Cos set point Cos
The voltage regulation relies chiefly on the action of the feeder 1 control

primary substation On-Load Tap-Changer transformer which Feeder n

suitably adjusts its ratio in order to compensate the voltage
drop due to the active and reactive power flowing through it.
OLTC control is based on a local measurement of the MV
bus-bar voltage, which is aimed to be kept almost constant
Figure 1 Principle of operation of the co-ordinated voltage control.
(equal to a desired reference voltage) for a wide range of load

CIRED2005

Session No 3
CIRED 18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Turin, 6-9 June 2005

DG could, and in the authors opinion should, positively substation transformer and a number of Secondary
contribute to voltage regulation. However, given the Controllers (one for each feeder) for determining the
uncertainties of location, size, characteristics and reference control signals to be communicated to the
dispatching of DG, it is quite challenging, with the present Distributed Generators.
network structure and operational modes, to implement
efficient control strategies [4,5]. Primary Controller
It should be noted that many of the generators used in DG The block diagram of the Primary Controller is shown in fig.
systems have little or no regulation capacities on their own 2 below.
and can only operate in parallel to the network, being unable
to sustain the voltage by themselves. However, for technical PMV
and economic reasons the majority of medium-small sized Cos-set I* + V +
generators are provided of power factor controllers. Vref -
To this issue in the following a control strategy is proposed Iset
+
Vref
which consists of a co-ordinated regulation between a
centralised control, located in the primary substation, and a
distributed reactive power regulation action performed by the Vset
DGs (see fig. 1). The novelty lies in the controller, all the + 1 1 V tr
regulating actions being performed by the existing devices, sTovp 1+sTa
i.e. the OLTC at the primary substation and the power factor -

controllers of the DGs.

The control principle is based on the fact that in radial passive
distribution networks, with known load demand and location,
the mean network voltage (i.e. the average value of the main
network nodes) is strictly related to the amount of P and Q (or
P and cos) flowing through the primary substation
transformer. Considering that different feeders have different
voltage (and thus power factor) regulation requirements, the
strategy adopted for regulating the voltage distribution
throughout the distribution system is based on a power factor
control of the network power flows.
The basic idea is to delegate to the primary substation OLTC,
besides the regulation of the MV bus-bar voltage, the task of
modulating the reactive power transit through the transformer
in order to maintain a desired power factor (cos-set) and
thus to contain the level of the transit current required to
satisfy the network active load demand. As a result of this
action, the primary substation MV bus-bar voltage is
modulated around the desired reference voltage by an amount
proportional to the transformer loading degree.
The reactive power regulation is subsequently assigned to the
DGs, which are forced by their local regulators to inject
power with a given reference power factor (cos set point)
whose value is automatically determined, for each feeder, by
the centralised controller on the basis of the mean voltage
feeder nodes.
In this way each generator, when in operation, would
participate to the voltage profile regulation of the feeder
where it is connected to. It should be noted that passive
feeders (feeders with temporary or permanent no generation)
would also intrinsically benefit by the co-ordinated control,
since their active and reactive load demand contribute in
determining the transformer loading and, in turn, the reference
cos set points.
REGULATION SCHEMES
The coordinated reactive/voltage controller comprises a
Primary Controller for driving the OLTC of the primary
CIRED2005
VMV
Figure 2 - Primary Controller for HV/MV OLTC Transformer
The controller performs a regulating action for compensating
the network voltage variations due to the actual MV network
loading deviation with respect to the transformer maximum
loading (represented in terms of current Iset in the control
scheme of fig. 2 and it is normally taken as 70% of the
transformer rated current). The network loading (I*) is
estimated on the basis of the measured active power transit
through the transformer (PMT), the system operator defined
reference power factor (Cos-set) and reference voltage level
of the transformer secondary windings (Vref).
A correction voltage signal (V) equal to
VMAX + VMIN
V = (I * I set ) + V (1)
I MAX + I MIN
is then generated to be added to Vref. The value V depends
upon the distribution network structure and
generation/loading characteristics and represents the voltage
correction to be applied to Vref when the transformer transit
current is Iset.
This regulation chain enables to perform a sort of voltage
compounding by setting the reference voltage of the OLTC
transformer controller (lower part of the regulation chain of
fig.2) equal to a voltage level (Vset) proportional to the net
distribution network loading degree. The actual tap-changer
variation (VTR) is thus determined by comparing the
reference (Vset) with the voltage measured at the secondary
transformer windings.
Secondary Controllers
The block diagram of a feeder Secondary Controller is shown
in fig. 3. The function of this controller, one for each feeder
and located in the primary substation, is to elaborate a
suitable reference power factor set point (cosDG-lin) to be
communicated to all DGs connected to that specific feeder.

Session No 3
CIRED 18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Turin, 6-9 June 2005

AT/MT
132 / 20
Vn 40 MVA
+ N1
Q SET V V1 +
PLIN 1 - Vmset
1+sTp Q L3 L2 L1
+ N5
+
Cos-set lin N7
Q LIN 1
N2
1+sTq

Vn + Vlim
VmDG1 +
select V2 N6
VmDG2 MAX 1 - 1
DG1
1+sTf sT ~ 3.6 MVA
N9
N3
N8
compute
mean
- Cos-set-DG
1 + Kpfi + 1 +
feeder
VMV voltage 1+sTf sTfi +
1 ~ N4
DG3
1.25 MVA
N12
Figura 3 Secondary Controller for cos control of Feeder transit power

In order to do so, the controller firstly elaborates a reference N11

N10
value of the mean voltage of the feeder nodes (Vmset)
required for maintaining at a desired power factor ( cos-set
lin) the active power transit Plin through the feeder sending ~
DG2
6.25 MVA
end; this can be referred to as the reactive power transit ~ DG4
7.37 MVA

regulator chain, represented by the upper part of the block

diagram of fig. 3. Figure 4 Case study network
In the case of any of the DG bus-bar voltages exceeding the
TABLE I. Main system data
maximum allowed +5% limit, the regulator performs a
Feeder Length Rated Load Rated Gen
decrement of Vmset by a quantity V2 proportional to the 1 24 km 16.2 MW 9.2 Mvar 9.85 MVA
maximum measured DG bus-bar voltage excess. As a result, 2 15 km 10 MW 5 Mvar 0 MVA
the DGs are called to reduce their reactive production (cos- 3 24 km 6.9 MW 2.6 Mvar 8.62 MVA
set-DG is increased). This regulation chain thus actuates a
reactive feedback control action on the system with a As an example, in fig. 5 a selection of simulation results are
stabilising effect. reported considering, for the same sequence of events, the action
The reference power factor set point (cos-set-DG) to be of the OLTC only (left hand side column) and the action of the
assigned to the regulators of the DGs connected to the feeder co-ordinated voltage/reactive control (right hand side column).
is then evaluated by a P+I regulator on the basis of the mean The sequence of events is summarised in Table II.
voltage level measured at all DGs nodes, including substation
TABLE II. Sequence of events
MV bus-bar, compared to the reference voltage (Vmset) Time (sec) Event description
determined by the reactive power transit regulator chain. 0400 sec Initial state with full rated load and DG 1-2-3 at rated
Il should be noted that each secondary controller regulates a power (cos=0.9). HV/MV Transf. loading =75%
mean feeder voltage computed as a weighted average of the 400 sec Intervention of OLTC to increase network voltage
voltage measured at DG terminals and substation busbar. This 600 sec Activation of co-ordinated control (latter simulation only)
800 sec Insertion of DG4 at rated power (cos=0.9).
is only possible provided a suitable continuous information HV/MV Transf. loading =56%
exchange between DGs and primary substation is established.
From fig. 5 it may be seen that the reactive power injection of
CASE STUDY NETWORK DG4 at 800 sec. produces unacceptable increases of Feeder 3 bus
bar voltages (with a negligible effect on Feeder 1 voltages) which
The performance of the proposed control scheme has been cannot be compensated by the OLTC only, whereas with the co-
tested on the case study network reported in fig. 4, ordinated voltage/reactive control all Feeder 3 node voltages are
representing a portion of MV distribution network with four maintained within the permitted range. It is worth noting that such
embedded synchronous generators (5th order models) regulating action is performed primarily by the generators
participating to the network voltage/reactive regulation by connected to Feeder 3 (DG3 and DG4).
means of their own reactive power control systems. The main The network has been modelled on the LegoPC software
system data are listed in Table I. environment (a CESI proprietary dynamic modular code),
On this system both static and dynamic simulations have been while the control schemes are implemented in MATLAB-
carried out covering a wide range of load/generation operating Simulink. Transient simulations have been carried out with
regimes. In all cases the co-ordinated control has demonstrated its LegoSim, a software environment which provides a run-time
capability of regulating the voltage profile along the different link between LegoPC and MATLAB-Simulink.
feeders with excellent stability features.

CIRED2005

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CIRED 18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution Turin, 6-9 June 2005

With OLTC regulation only With co-ordinated voltage/reactive regulation

Feeder 1 Node Voltages (kV) Feeder 1 Node Voltages (kV)
22.0 22.0

21.5 21.5
+5% +5%
21.0 21.0

20.5 20.5
N1 N1
20.0 20.0
N11 (DG2) N11 (DG2)
19.5 N2 (DG1) 19.5 N2 (DG1)
-5% -5%
19.0 19.0
18.5 18.5
18.0 18.0
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Time (sec) Time (sec)
Feeder 3 Node Voltages (kV) Feeder 3 Node Voltages (kV)
22.0 22.0
21.5 21.5
+5% +5%
21.0 21.0

20.5 20.5
N1 N1
20.0 20.0
19.5 19.5
N9 (DG3) -5% N9 (DG3) -5%
19.0 19.0
18.5 N10 (DG4) 18.5 N10 (DG4)

18.0 18.0
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Time (sec) Time (sec)
DG Reactive power (MVar) DG Reactive power (MVar)
3.5 3.5

3.0 3.0
2.5 DG2 2.5 DG2

2.0 2.0
DG1 DG1
1.5 1.5
1.0 1.0
DG3 DG3
0.5 0.5
DG4 DG4
0.0 0.0
-0.5 -0.5
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Time (sec) Time (sec)

Fig. 5 Dynamic simulations results: comparison between OLTC regulation and co-ordinated voltage/reactive regulation

CONCLUSIONS
In this work a novel co-ordinated voltage/reactive power
control scheme is presented which enables embedded
generators to participate to the regulation of the distribution
network voltage. An interesting feature of the system is the
capability of satisfying the diverse voltage regulation
requirements of different feeders connected to the primary
substation.
It is important to remark that the primary and the secondary
controllers regulate quasi-independent variables (active
power MV network load and reactive power feeders transit)
acting on the voltage level of the substation MV bus-bar and
DGs reactive power production respectively. Besides, the
feeder reactive power control is actuated using a common
power factor reference for all the DGs connected to the
feeder. For these features the proposed co-ordinated control
strategy can ensure the dynamic stability of the grid reactive
power and voltage regulation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work has been developed in the frame of the research on the
Italian Electrical System Ricerca di Sistema Ministerial Decrees
of January 26 - 2000, and April 17 - 2001.
REFERENCES
[1] R.Caldon, V. Prandoni, S. Spelta, R. Turri, 2004, "Control Issues in MV
Distribution Systems with Large-scale Integration of Distributed
Generation", IREP Bulk Power System Dynamics and Control - VI, 22-
27August 2004, Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy
[2] E.Carpaneto, G.Chicco, M.De Donno, R.Napoli, 2004, "Voltage
Controllability of Distribution Systems with Local Generation Sources",
IREP Bulk Power System Dynamics and Control - VI, 22-27August
2004, Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy
[3] Leite H., Li H.Y., Jenkins N., 2003, Real-Time Voltage Regulation of
Distribution Networks with Distributed Generation, Proc. of the CIRED
2003, Barcelona, Spain, 12-15 May, 2003.
[4] F.Jiang, S.K.Salman, V.Elaveeti, R.Gupta, 2001, Improvement of
Automatic Voltage Control of On-Load Tap-Changer Transformer in a
Distribution System with Embedded Generators, Proc. 36th Universities
Power Engineering Conference (UPEC2001), Swansea, UK, 12-14
sept., 2001.
[5] E.F. Mogos, X.Guillaud, 2004, A Voltage Regulation System for
Distributed Generation, IEEE PES Power Systems Conference &
Exibition (PSCE04), New York, US, 10-13 oct., 2004.

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Session No 3