Real-time Reactive Power Compensation by Distributed Generation Simulated using GridLAB-D and PSIM

With the recent increase of inverter-based distributed generation (DG), more opportunities for grid support are being explored. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), allows monitoring and communication in the distribution grid, which could enable real-time optimal reactive power compensation by DG units. In this study, a real-time simulation using GridLAB-d and PSIM is used to explore this in a British Columbia, Canada grid. State estimation followed by reactive power optimisation is applied in real-time to both under-voltage and over-voltage grids. This process is shown to improve grid performance at very low cost, by either reducing power loss in the lines, mitigating reverse power flow or improving other objective(s) determined by the utility.