Assessment of Flexible Power Link in Distribution Networks Under Normal/Faulty Conditions

The growing demand for electricity and the increased adoption of renewable energy supply is increasing the converter-based resources integration into power networks. Power converters can be utilized to provide different ancillary services such as frequency and voltage support, as well as improving the networks flexibility and reliability. The adoption of power converter in medium voltage (MV) distribution networks is receiving an increasing attention to leverage these advantages. In this paper, the innovative back-to-back Flexible Power Link (FPL) is considered and analyzed to assess the benefits of its utilization to interconnect differnt MVAC network segments. FPLs can be used to improve the power exchange flexibility in the network, while unlocking an array of ancillary services. The analysis presented in this paper aim to demonstrate and validate key FPL functionalities through a case study targeting a medium-voltage distribution network in Spain. Simulations are performed using the industrial PSCAD/EMTDC tool, and the results successfully demonstrate the power flow control between two main power lines in the considered network, in addition to validating the FPL voltage regulation and fault isolation capabilities.