FACTS

TCSC for stable transmission of surplus power

from Eastern to Western India

two Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitors (TCSC) from ABB.

The banks were installed on the Rourkela-Raipur double circuit
400 kV power transmission interconnector between the
Eastern and Western regions of the grid. The length of the
interconnector amounts to 412 km. The main purpose of this
major AC interconnector is to enable export of surplus energy
from the Eastern to the Western regions of India during nor-
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) has pur­chased
mal operating conditions, and also during contingencies. The
two Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitors (TCSC) from
TCSC are located at the Raipur end of the lines.
ABB. The banks were installed on the Rourkela-Raipur
double circuit 400 kV power transmission inter­c onnec­tor
The TCSC enable damping of interarea power oscillations
between the Eastern and Western regions of the grid. The
between the regions, which would otherwise have constituted
length of the interconnector amounts to 412 km.
a limitation on power transfer over the interconnector.
Dynamic simulations performed during the design stage, and
The main purpose of this major AC interconnector is to enable
subsequently confirmed at the commissioning and testing
export of surplus energy from the Eastern to the Western
stage, have proved the effectiveness of the Raipur TCSC as
regions of India during normal operating conditions, and also
power oscillation dampers.
during contingencies. The TCSC are located at the Raipur end
Furthermore, system studies performed showed no risk for
of the lines. The TCSC enable damping of interarea power
Sub-Synchronous Resonance (SSR) in the Indian network.
oscillations between the regions, which would otherwise have
constituted a limitation on power transfer over the intercon-
nector. Dynamic simulations performed during the design and Western regions. As a solution to these interarea low
stage, and subsequently confirmed at the commissioning and frequency power swings, the studies proposed two fixed
testing stage, have proved the effectiveness of the Raipur Series Capacitors, each with 40% degree of compensation
TCSC as power oscillation dampers. Furthermore, system of the Rourkela-Raipur line, and two TCSCs, each with 5%
studies performed showed no risk for Sub-Synchronous degree of compensation of the Rourkela-Raipur line. For
Resonance (SSR) in the Indian network. power oscillation damping (POD), by control of the boost fac-
tor, the TCSCs introduce a component of modulation of the
Power oscillation damping effective reactance of the power lines. During power swings
Low frequency interarea oscillations are a well-known pheno­ the inserted TCSC reactance can be changed between –20.5 Ω
menon arising between distinct groups of rotating machines, capacitive, corresponding to a boost factor of 3.0, and 1.3 Ω,
interconnected by a weak or heavily loaded AC tie. The corresponding to TCSC bypass. By suitable system control,
interarea oscillation frequency is typically in the range below this modulation of reactance counteracts the oscillation of
1 Hz. Previous studies carried out by PGCIL had identified active power, thereby quickly damping it out. The Rourkela-
poorly damped behaviour of the power grid manifesting itself Raipur TCSCs have proven effective as power oscillation
in low frequency interarea oscillations between the Eastern dampers.
The graphs show a 1500 MW power transfer situation from Single-line diagram
Eastern to Western regions, with a single-phase to ground 400
400kV
kV
fault at Raipur s/s, cleared after 100 ms. A severe 0.35 Hz 400 kV
power oscillation is triggered over the interconnector and ac- 400 kV
tively damped out by means of the TCSC. The damping effect
of the TCSC is very distinct as shown in the “Power oscillation
damping“ graph to the right in this page.

Control and protection

The control system is based on the ABB MACH 2 concept,
which is a hardware and software system specifically devel-

Application Note A02-0185 E, 2011-03

oped for power applications. The MACH 2 system is built
around an industrial PC with add-in boards and I/O racks
connected through standard type field busses like CAN and Power oscillation damping
Power Transfer = 1500 MW
TDM. This has facilitated very high performance together with 1050
Power Transfer = 1500 MW
1050
small dimensions of the hardware. The TCSC can be control­ 1000 Power Transfer = 1500 MW
led from two different locations. In the local control room there 1050
1000
950
is an Operator Work Station (OWS), based on a personal 1000
950
900
com­p uter. The TCSC can also be remotely controlled via a 950
900
850
Remote Work Station (RWS) from the substation control room. 850
900

P [MW]
800

P [MW] P [MW]
800
850
Current measurements for the control and protection func- 750
750
800
tions are attained by use of Optical Current Transformers 700
700
(OCT). The OCT consists of a current transducer in the high 750
650
voltage busbar and an optical interface module in the control 650
700
600
room. Signal transmission between transducer and interface 600
650 FSC
FSC
TCSC
TCSC
is carried out by means of an optical fibre system including 550
550
6000 0 5
5
10
10
15
15
20
20
25
25
30
30
time [s] FSC
platform links, high voltage signal columns and fibre optic ca- time [s]
TCSC
550
bles. When power oscillations are detected, the POD control 0 5 10 15
time [s]
20 25 30

Power Transfer = 1500

MW MW
function changes the reactance reference in such a way that TCSC
2 2 reactancePower
response
Transfer = 1500
FSC FSC
the power oscillations are damped out. 2 2 Power Transfer = 1500 MW
TCSC TCSC
2
FSC
-2 -2
TCSC
Thyristor valve 2
-4 -4
For controlled series capacitors, a thyristor valve is used for -2
-6 -6
controlling the apparent reactance of the capacitor. This is -4
Xc [Ohm] Xc [Ohm]
Xc [Ohm]

-8 -8
done by adding charge to the capacitor through the thyristor -6
-10 -10
valve, i.e. boosting the capacitor voltage. The valve, located -8
on platform level, is water-cooled and equipped with two -12
-12
-10
vertically mounted, antiparallel stacks of thyristors. Each valve -14
-14
-12
string consists of 14 thyristors in series connection, each with -16
-16
-14
a wafer diameter of four inches. All communication between -18
0-18 5 10 15 20 25 30
-16 0 5 10 time [s] 15 20 25 30
valve and the ground mounted control system is done via fibre time [s]

optics. The thyristor valve is rated for a continuous current of -18

0 5 10 15 20 25 30
time [s]
1850 A and a voltage of 12.7 kVrms. It is furthermore rated to
with­stand short-circuit currents up to 55 kApeak, safely above
any plausible fault situation that the valve may have to endure Main technical data (per one TCSC)
in operation. Parameter Fixed Segment TCSC Segment
Nominal system voltage 400 kV 400 kV
Rated line current 1550 A 1550 A
Line current overload, 30 minutes 2093 A 2093 A
For more information please contact: Line current overload, 10 minutes 2325 A 2325 A
Physical capacitor reactance 54.7 Ω 6.83 Ω
ABB AB Nominal capacitive boost factor 1.0 1.2
FACTS Boost factor range – 1.0–3.0
SE-721 64 Västerås, Sweden Rated capacitor reactive power 394 Mvar 71 Mvar
Phone: +46 21 32 50 00 Rated capacitor bank voltage 84.8 kV 12.7 kV
Fax: +46 21 32 48 10 Degree of compensation 40% 5% (@ 1.0 boost factor)
ZnO rating (incl. redundancy) 56 MJ 15 MJ
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