Voltage Regulation and Reactive Power Optimization for Integration of Distributed Energy Resources into Smart Grids

Summary

Volt/var control (VVC) is one of the primary functions of the distribution management system, aiming at optimum operation of power distribution networks while respecting all of their operational and security constraints. However, the recent huge integration of highly stochastic distributed generation (DG) sources with the grid presents a significant challenge to the traditional VVC schemes, which assume the future to be perfectly known. This chapter presents a two‐stage chance‐constrained optimization scheme to handle these nodal power uncertainties and guarantees that the system constraints are respected for almost all realizations of the uncertainty. The optimization scheme not only dispatches the optimum schedule for discrete voltage‐controlling devices like transformers and shunt capacitors but also optimizes predefined decision rules for reactive power control of DG sources. Finally, two simple methods are presented to approximately model static power system loads with good accuracy with the advanced VVC optimization schemes.