Artificial intelligence techniques for voltage control [of power systems]

In electric power systems, the advantages of reactive power dispatching or optimisation include: improved utilisation of reactive power sources and hence a reduction in reactive power flows and real losses of the system; unloading of the system and equipment as a result of reactive flow reduction, hence the power factors of generation are improved and system security is enhanced; reduced voltage gradients and somewhat higher voltages which result across the system from improved operation; deferred capital investment of new reactive power sources as a result of improved utilisation of existing equipment; and for the UK National Grid Company plc (NGC), the main advantage is reduced out-of-merit operation. The objective of this paper is to review conventional methods and AI techniques for reactive power control.