Effect of Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOM) Device on Distance Protection Setting

Abstract: The flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), are high current power electronic devices used to control the voltage, power flow and stability of a transmission system. Distance protection is always used for transmission lines protection. The use of these FACTS devices creates certain problems for distance relays because of the rapid changes introduced by the associated control actions in primary system parameters, such as line impedances. This paper discusses the effect STATCOM device on distance protection relays setting. Transmission line between Merowe station to Markheyat substation, is taken as case study. The study is carried-out using short circuit calculation and simulation before and after adding STATCOM device using NEPLAN software The results show that that the distance relay cannot trip the faults in the real zones operating area after addition of STATCOM device to the case study.

Keywords: STATCOM, Distance relay, Protection, NEPLAN