Dynamic performance of the Eagle Pass back-to-back HVDC Light tie

The Eagle Pass back-to-back (BtB) tie is a voltage source converter (VSC) -based tie interconnecting the transmision grid of Texas with the Mexican Power system, at the AEP's Eagle Pass substation in the State of Texas. The tie was put in operation in July 2000. As the VSC takes advantage of gate-turn-off type of power semiconductors, the dynamic performance and capability are significantly improved compared to the conventional thyristor based technologies. This paper focuses on highlighting the performance of the VSC-based technology, using representative computer simulations and comparable field tests. The presented performance covers dynamic voltage support, operational mode changes and energizing of islanded networks. The influence on the ratings of the VSC main components is discussed, as well as the engineering tools used for simulations and validation of design.