Reintroducing Synchronous Condensers in South Africa is a Positive Addition to the Future

One of the main challenges of introducing large-scale renewable energy sources into a modern power system and one of the most significant issues facing power system operators in the upcoming years is likely related to inertial response and frequency stability in low inertia systems. In this paper, the Synchronous Condenser (SC) is proposed as a possible technical solution for (ancillary) stability services for the South African power grid. SCs are also known as synchronous capacitors or synchronous compensators. SCs can change their excitation to supply more or less reactive power to the system. The dynamic voltage support features of SCs are useful in stabilizing the system voltage, and SCs can be overloaded in the short term. They also improve the short circuit strength of a power system and add rotating inertia to the system. These characteristics may prove advantageous when systems adjust to increased penetration of renewable energy sources.