FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission System):

Facts Based on a power electronic have been developed to improve the performance of line & to control bulk
power flow in transmission system by using solid state devices (Power electronics devices).
Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) is an integrated concept based on power electronic switching
converters and dynamic controllers to enhance the system utilization and power transfer capacity as well as the
stability, security, reliability and power quality of AC system interconnections.
FACTS is a collection of thyristor-based controllers, including phase shifters, advanced static VAR
compensator, dynamic brake, modulator series capacitor, load tap changer, fault current limiter, and perhaps
other that have yet to be invented.
The main values (Objective) of facts lies in-
 To increase the power transmission capability of transmission systems.
 To keep power flow over designated routes.
 Secure loading of transmission line nearer to its thermal limits.
 for controlling voltage.
 increasing the flexibility.
 Fast voltage regulation,
 Increased power transfer over long AC lines,
 Damping of active power oscillations, and
 Load flow control in meshed systems,

 we can use thyristor or GTO as facts controller devices.

 Facts overcomes the limitations of the present mechanical control devices.
 The use of thyristor based controller will allow the reactive power compensation to be made more rapidly,
hence improvers the transient and dynamic stability of power system.
 FACTS uses solid state switching devices to control power flow through a transmission network, so that
the transmission network is fully loaded to its fully capacity.
 A line can be loaded up to its thermal limit by FACTS.
 Power Transfer can be increased through an old line by using FACTS.
Basically the FACT system is used to provide the controllability of high voltage side of the network by
incorporating power electronic devices to introduce inductive or capacitive power in the network.
Types of FACTS Controllers
The Facts controller is defined as a power electronic based system and other static equipment that
provide control of one or more AC transmission system parameters.
FACTS controllers are classified as
 Shunt connected controllers
 Series connected controllers
 Combined series-series controllers
 Combined shunt-series controllers
Series connected controllers
These controllers inject a voltage in series with the line. If this voltage is in phase quadrature with the current,
the controller consumes or supplies variable reactive power to the network.
These controllers could be variable impedance such as a reactor or capacitor or a power electronic based
variable source. Examples of the series controllers include SSSC, TCSR, IPFC, TSSC, TCSC, and TCSR.
Shunt connected controllers
These controllers inject a current into the system at the point of connection. If this current is in phase quadrature
with the line voltage, a shunt controller consumes or supplies variable reactive power to the network.
Similar to the series connected controllers, these controllers could be a variable reactor or capacitor or a power
electronic based variable source.
Examples of the shunt controllers include TCR, STATCOM, TSR, TCBR and TSC.

Combined series-series controllers

These controllers are the combination of individual series controllers that are controlled in a coordinated
manner in multiple power transmission systems. Or these could be a unified controllers in which separate series
controllers are employed in each line for series reactive power compensation and also to transfer the real power
among the lines via proper link.
Example of this controller is IPFC that balances the real and reactive power flow in the lines in order to
maximize the power transmission.

Combined series-shunt controllers

These are the combination of separate series and shunt controllers that are controlled in a coordinate manner or
a unified power flow controller (UPFC) with series and shunt elements.
These combined controllers inject current into the system with series part of the controller and voltage in series
in the line with shunt part of the controller. Examples of these controllers include TCPST, UPFC and TCPAR.
SVC : STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR (Standard for Parallel compensation)
STATCOM : STATIC SYNCHRONOUS COMPENSATOR (fast, SVC flicker compensation)
FSC : FIXED SERIES COMPENSATOR
TCSC : THYRISTOR CONTROLLED SERIES CAPACITOR
GPFC : GRID POWER FLOW CONTROLLER (Facts Back to Back)
UPFC : UNIFIED POWER FLOW CONTROLLER
SSG : STATIC SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR
TSR/TCR : THYRISTORIZED SWITCHED OR CONTROLLED REACTOR
TSC : THYRISTOR SWITCHED CAPACITOR
SVG : STATIC VAR GENERATOR OR ABSORBER
SVS : STATIC VAR SYSTEM
TCBR : THYRISTOR CONTROLLED BRAKING RESISTER
SSSC : STATIC SYNCHRONOUS SERIES CONTROLLER
IPFC : INTERLINE POWER FLOW CONTROLLER
TCPST : THYRISTOR CONTROLLED PHASE SHIFTING TRANSFORMER
IPC : INTERPHASE POWER CONTROLLER
TCVL : THYRISTOR CONTROL VOLTAGE LIMITER
TCVR : THYRISTOR CONTROLLED VOLTAGE REGULATOR

STATCOM (STATIC SYNCHRONOUS COMPENSATOR)

SATCOM is a " Voltage Source Converter" based device.

STATCOM or Static Synchronous Compensator is a power electronic device using force commutated devices
like IGBT, GTO etc. to control the reactive power flow through a power network and thereby increasing the
stability of power network.
STATCOM is a shunt device i.e. it is connected in shunt with the line. A Static Synchronous Compensator
(STATCOM) is also known as a Static Synchronous Condenser (STATCON).
The terms Synchronous in STATCOM mean that it can either absorb or generate reactive power in
synchronization with the demand to stabilize the voltage of the power network.
It consists of a solid state voltage source inverter coupled with a transformer and this arrangement is tied to a
transmission line. This arrangement supplies or draws reactive power at a faster rate compared with
synchronous motor condenser. This controller injects the current almost in quadrature with the line voltage, so
that it matches a capacitive or an inductive reactance at the point where it is connected. STATCOM can be
either voltage source or current source based controller but mostly voltage source is preferred.
Working Principle of STATCOM:
To understand the working principle of STATCOM, we will first have a look at the reactive power transfer
equation. Let us consider two sources V1 and V2 are connected through an impedance Z = Ra + jX as shown in
figure below.

In the above reactive power flow equation, angle δ is the angle between V1 and V2. Thus if we maintain
angle δ = 0 then Reactive power flow will become
Q = (V2/X)[V1-V2]
active power flow will become
P = V1*V2*sinδ/X
If the angle between V1 and V2 is zero, the flow of active power becomes zero and the flow of reactive power
depends on (V1 – V2). Thus for flow of reactive power there are two possibilities.
1) If the magnitude of V1 is more than V2, then reactive power will flow from source V1 to V2.
2) If the magnitude of V2 is more than V1, reactive power will flow from source V2 to V1.
This principle is used in STATCOM for reactive power control.

STATCOM has the following components:

1) A Voltage Source Converter, VSC
The voltage-source converter is used to convert the DC input voltage to an AC output voltage. Two of the
common VSC types are as below.
a) Square-wave Inverters using Gate Turn-Off Thyristors: In this type of VSC, output AC voltage is
controlled by changing the DC capacitor input voltage, as the fundamental component of the converter
output voltage is proportional to the DC voltage.
b) PWM Inverters using Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT): It uses Pulse Width Modulation
(PWM) technique to create a sinusoidal waveform from a DC voltage source with a typical chopping
frequency of a few kHz. In contrast to the GTO-based type, the IGBT-based VSC utilizes a fixed DC
voltage and varies its output AC voltage by changing the modulation index of the PWM modulator.
2) DC Capacitor
DC Capacitor is used to supply constant DC voltage to the voltage source converter, VSC.
3) Inductive Reactance
A Transformer is connected between the output of VSC and Power System. Transformer basically acts as a
coupling medium. In addition, Transformer neutralize harmonics contained in the square waves produced
by VSC.
4) Harmonic Filter
Harmonic Filter attenuates the harmonics and other high frequency components due to the VSC.
Source V1 represents the output voltage of the STATCOM. In case of reactive power demand increases in the
power system, STATCOM increases its output voltage V1 while maintain the phase difference between V1 and
V2 to zero (it shall be noted here that there will always exists small phase angle between V1 and V2 to cater for
the leakage impedance drop in the interconnecting Transformer ). As V1 > V2, reactive power will flow from
STATCOM to the power system. Thus STATCOM, supplies reactive power and acts as reactive power
generator.
Again, if the voltage of power system increase due to load throw off, STATCOM will reduce its output voltage
V1 and therefore will absorb reactive power to stabilize the voltage to normal value.
The above mode of operation of STATCOM is called Voltage Regulation Mode.
But as we know every equipment has got their own limitations, so STATCOM must also have
some limitation of supplying or absorbing reactive power. Yes, there exists a limitation and this limitation is
imposed by the current carrying capacity of force commutated devices like IGBT, GTO etc. Therefore, if the
operation of STATCOM reaches their limitation, it does not further increases or decreases its output voltage V1
rather it supplies or absorbs fixed reactive power equal to its limiting value at a fixed voltage and current and
acts like constant current source. This mode of operation of STATCOM is called VAR Control Mode.
Thus form the above discussion, the operation of STATCOM can be classified into two modes:
1) Voltage Regulation Mode
2) VAR Control Mode