Application of STATCOM for power quality improvement

The application of a STATCOM can help to alleviate some of the power quality issues encountered within a refinery consisting of large induction machine loads. The intent of this paper is to demonstrate the improvements obtained with STATCOM for this purpose and also to evaluate economical benefits obtained with it. First, the paper identifies the power quality and other issues around the refinery in the Southern California Edison system. Computer simulations show that the application of a STATCOM can help the big motor load to survive under the most severe contingencies occurring in the area. The analysis also demonstrates that the STATCOM with appropriate controller can be very effective in harmonic reduction.