The design, manufacture and operation of a 33kV Quadrature Booster

The ‘Flexible Plug and Play Low Carbon Networks’ (FPP) project aims to facilitate faster and cheaper connections of distributed generation (DG) onto the distribution network, by using innovative technical and commercial solutions. A number of differing technologies have been identified which have the potential to allow connection of additional DG without the need for reinforcement and to assist in lowering carbon emissions. The use of a Quadrature Booster is one of the smart devices to be trialled, and has been installed at UK Power Networks' 33kV substation located within the Wissington British Sugar plc (BSP) site in Norfolk, UK. The FPP will trial the first Quadrature Booster on distribution networks to effectively demonstrate the smart approach to network management. This paper outlines how the FPP project will adapt the already mature Quadrature Booster technology at transmission networks, to innovatively deploy the first Quadrature Booster at distribution voltage using the Wissington 33kV trial case. The paper discusses (1) the identified network problem, (2) available options to address the problem, (3) how the problem is being addressed, and (4) the benefits accrued from delivering the Quadrature Booster solution.