QSTS simulation of reverse power tap changer runaway condition in active distribution networks

Among the various impacts caused by high penetration distributed generation (DG) in medium and low voltage distribution networks, the issues of interaction between the DG and feeder equipment, such as step voltage regulators (SVRs), have been increasingly brought into focus of computational analyses and real-life case studies. Particularly, the SVR's runaway condition is a major concern in recent years due to the overvoltage problem and the SVR maintenance costs it entails. This paper aims to assess the accuracy of the quasi-static time series (QSTS) method in detailing such phenomenon when compared to the classical load flow formulation. To this end, simulations were performed using the OpenDSS software for two different test-feeders and helped to demonstrate the effectiveness of the QSTS approach in investigating the SVR's runaway condition.