FACTS Devices for Reactive Power Compensation and Power Flow Control – Recent Trends

Electrical power systems are frequently accommodating numerous electromechanical disturbances caused due to different reasons such as sudden application of load or escape out of load, environmental causes etc. Such perturbations are responsible for creation of harmonics and oscillations affecting system stability which may further lead to system failure. Different technologies are used to compensate these disturbances and to provide quality power. One of the technologies is the implementation of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices. The paper gives brief information about advanced generation of FACTS devices such as Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC), Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC) and Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) and the role of the same for reactive power compensation as well as the power flow control.