Optimal utilization of STATCOM devices in a power system with high penetration of wind generation

As wind generation penetration increases in older power networks, a system becomes more vulnerable due to intermittency of the wind. It is desired to replace more conventional power with wind generation, but this may lead to overloaded lines as well as low voltage buses. In certain cases the power system may even collapses (i.e., no valid load flow solution exists). Static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) devices can provide significant reactive power to ensure the voltage stability, but they should be optimally designed, for both their ratings and locations, because of their high costs of installation. Based on a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, this paper introduces a general approach to determine the optimal location and sizing of the STATCOM devices for the power system with low-voltage buses or no valid load flow solution. Simulation results demonstrate that the voltage stability of the power system is achieved after the STATCOM devices are optimally placed, for all the potential stochastic output powers of the wind plants.