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Experiences with Wind Power Plants with Low SCR

Lessons learned from the analysis, design and connection of wind power plants
to weak electrical grids

IEEE PES General Meeting – Denver CO, 26 March 2015

Vestas Wind Systems A/S: Philip Carne Kjaer, Manoj Gupta, Antonio Martinez, Steven Saylors
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Agenda
1. Characteristics of a weak grid.
2. Weak grid challenges.
3. Power system study.
4. Wind Power Plant solutions.
5. Questions?
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Characteristics of a weak grid

Weak grid definition
 Short Circuit Ratio (SCR) < 3 and Xgrid/Rgrid ratio < 5
 The SCR indicates the amount of power (Swpp) that can be accepted by the power
system without affecting the power quality (V, f, harmonics, flicker) at the PoC.
 Low grid inertia constant (H)
Where,
SCR = Smin/Swpp;
Smin = Minimum fault level at the WPP MV bus without the WPP [MVA];
Swpp = WPP rating [MW].
Rgrid Xgrid

Grid Impedance
Wind Power Plant
(WPP)
WPP MV Bus Point of Connection
(PoC)
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Characteristics of a weak grid

Weak grid definition
 Both the fault level at the point of connection (PoC) and WPP MW rating determines if
the WPP connection will experience the power quality issues of a weak grid.

SCR vs Swpp
9.00
8.00
7.00
6.00
5.00 Smin=200 MVA
SCR

4.00 Smin=300 MVA

3.00 Smin=400 MVA

2.00 Weak Grid Boundary

1.00
0.00
0 50 100 150 200 250
Swpp (MW)
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Characteristics of a weak grid

Weak grid connections
 Large WPPs located in remote locations far from generation/load centers, and
interconnected to the power system using long transmission lines.
 GW of weak grid projects are expected from the global wind power market, including
Australia.
 Examples in Australia:

WPP Swpp (MW) SCR

Musselroe 168 1.74*
Collgar 250 2.65
Silverton (stage1) 300 1.24
*at Derby
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Characteristics of a weak grid

Weak grid connections

SCR = 1.24 SCR = 1.74

Silverton WPP
Musselroe WPP

250km+
Transmission Line

100km+ Transmission
Line to Norwood
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Weak grid challenges

Weak grids present technical challenges to WPP connections
Steady State Issues
 Voltage Stability is affected by both P and Q injected into the grid. PV and QV analysis
can be applied to determine the stability limits (critical V, max P, Q margins);
 WPP active power rating being limited according to the PV stability limit and/or the
Surge Impedance Loading of the long radial transmission line;
 Grid continuous operating voltage range limits the reactive power capability of the
WPP. This becomes an issue with Q capability requirements from grid codes;
 Voltage change, overshoot, etc. limit P and Q ramp rates. This becomes an issue with
P control and Q control requirements from grid codes;
 N-1 (element put of service) power system amplifies the weak grid issues by lowering
further the SCR.
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Weak grid challenges

WPP MW rating limitation
PV Curves
1.05

0.95
Note:
X=0.6 represents weaker grid
0.9
X=0.3 represents stronger grid
0.85 X=0.6 pf=0.95; X/R= 10
VS (pu)

0.8 X/R↓→Pmax↓ X=0.3; pf=0.95; X/R= 10

X=0.6 pf=0.95; X/R= 2
0.75 SCR↓→Pmax↓ X=0.3; pf=0.95; X/R= 2
0.7

0.65
Pmax = 0.6pu Pmax = 1.2pu
0.6
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
P (pu)
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Weak grid challenges

Poor voltage regulation due to large dV for small dQ
 On the weaker grid 20% change in Q changes the grid voltage by 20%;
 On the stronger grid 20% change in Q changes the grid voltage by 7%.

1
QV Curves
0.8

0.6 Note:
Slope~1 for X=0.6 represents weaker grid
0.4 weak grid X=0.3 represents stronger grid
0.2 X=0.3; P=0.5; X/R= 10
Vs (pu)
Q (pu)

0 X=0.6; P=0.5; X/R= 10

0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 X=0.3; P=0.5; X/R= 2
-0.2
Slope~2.85 for X=0.6; P=0.5; X/R= 2
-0.4
stronger grid
-0.6

-0.8 Stronger grid has reactive power margin

X/R↓→Qmargin↓ Weaker grid has NO reactive power margin
-1
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Weak grid challenges

Reduced Reactive Power Capability
200

150
Typical/Stronger Grid – Grid doesn’t
100 affect WPP reactive power capability
Reactive Capability (MVAR)

50
Required PQ
Capability
0
Q_PCC, V=0.90pu
-50 100
Q_PCC, V=1.00pu
-100

Q_PCC, V=1.10pu
-150 50

Reactive Capability (MVAR)

-200

0 Required PQ
-250 Capability
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Active Power Output (MW) Q_PCC, V=0.90pu

-50
Q_PCC, V=1.00pu

Weak Grid – It doesn’t take much +/-Q for the

Q_PCC, V=1.10pu
power system voltage to reach +/-10%. The -100

WTG continuous operating voltages (typ. +/-

10%) limits the WPP reactive power capability. -150
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Active Power Output (MW)
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Weak grid challenges

Dynamic Issues
 Inability of the power system to absorb the reactive current injection during the fault may
cause the WPP to trip on the transient overvoltage during the fault recovery period;
 Fast and large voltage angle shifts can make it difficult for the WTG Phase Lock Loop
(PLL) to track the voltage angle correctly, which may create instability of WTG fast
current control loops;
 WTG LVRT control retriggering may produce reactive power swings and voltage
instability if the WPP control system and the WTG level control is not coordinated.
Coordination can be challenging due to large voltage difference between the PoC and the
WTG;
 Poorly damped FRT response due to low system inertia amongst other weak grid
contributors.
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Weak grid challenges

Grid Code Issues
 In general grid codes have been written under the assumption that WPP connect to
strong grids;
 Some grid code technical requirements for WPP have no benefit and may
adversely impact the stability of the grid. For weak grids these requirements
should be modified or not be binding;
 Steady state reactive power requirements. Asking for +/- 0.93 power factor, for
example, may not be possible in a weak grid without exceeding the grid normal operating
voltage range of +/-10%;
 Steady state P and Q (pf, V) control requirements. The P and Q ramp rates can not
be too fast in a weak grid without exceeding the voltage change, damping, or settling
time requirements of the grid code.
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Weak grid challenges

Grid Code Issues
 FRT requirements.
 Too much reactive power/current injection during the fault may lead to voltage
instability or overvoltage tripping after the fault is cleared.
 The P recovery can not be too fast in a weak grid without exceeding the damping or
settling time requirements of the grid code. Ramping P to pre-fault value too fast
may also produce transient overvoltage, LVRT retriggering and trip WPP.

CAUTION!
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Power system study

Dynamic Simulation Considerations
 Use the right tools for the job! PSSE alone is not the right tool. Both PSCAD (or
equivalent EMT software) and PSSE software is required for weak grid studies;
 PSSE WTG models do not represent the fast inner current control loops of the
power electronics and therefore the transient stability representation in PSSE is
optimistic;
 PSSE time steps are typically in milliseconds, but microsecond time steps are
required for the fast inner current control loops;
 PSSE can experience numerical instability with SCR<3 and hence hard for a
simulation to converge;
 Asymmetrical grid conditions are more accurately represented in PSCAD than PSSE.
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Power system study

Dynamic Simulation Considerations
 Detailed PSCAD model is required.
 SMIB model is not sufficient. A full grid model (use E-TRAN) is required to represent
the grid response accurately.
 Accurate representation/aggregation of the WPP collector network is required.
 Source Code Integrated (SCI) PSCAD models should be used for WTG and PPC.
 Site specific voltage/reactive control scheme is required.
 Manufacturer’s specific models for STATCOM, synchronous condensers, and other
reactive plant equipment is required.
 Correct protection settings at various locations in grid
 The site specific parameter settings for WTG, PPC and all reactive plant equipment
derived from the PSCAD study can then be used (as applicable) to setup the equivalent
PSSE model.
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Overview
 The solution is tailored for each WPP according to the grid code requirements and the
SCR at the PoC. As such, the solution will be different from WPP to WPP.
 The WPP solution consists of a combination of the following.
 Power system studies in PSCAD;
 Coordinated WPP voltage control system;
 Site specific tuning of the WTG FRT response;
 Reactive plant equipment: STATCOM, synchronous condensers, cap/reactor banks,
etc;
 WPP active power derating when the grid voltage goes outside the continuous
operating range;
 WTG transformer tap selection;
 Substation transformer OLTC performance.
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Coordinated WPP Control System

Typical WPP control concept for weak grid:

 Power Plant Controller®  Standard synchronous

(PPC) is Master controller condenser AVR response
and STATCOM is the Slave time is used.
controller for V control.
 PPC Q control should use
 The PPC sends Qref to a rise time according to
STATCOM. grid code or contingencies
analysis.
 The PPC controls the cap
banks.  PPC controls the WTG P
dispatch.
 Synchronous condenser is
left to control its own terminal
voltage.
 STATCOM is used for fast
dynamic voltage control
during and post fault.
 Capacitor banks plus WTG
Q support is mainly used for
steady state voltage control.
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Tuning WTG FRT response

 During the fault the WTG reactive current injection is limited to

avoid overvoltage tripping on fault clearance or voltage instability
during the fault recovery period.

 The WTG active current injection ramp rate can be reduced

to limit the voltage change and to allow enough time for the
STATCOM to stabilise the voltage during the fault recovery
period. No WTG LVRT control retriggering.
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Reactive Plant Equipment
 STATCOM
 Provides steady state and dynamic voltage regulation.
 STATCOM is used for fast dynamic voltage control during and post fault for a
smooth fault recovery.
 Synchronous Condenser
 Provides steady state and dynamic voltage regulation.
 Used to increase the fault level and inertia, and to reduce the voltage angle shifts to
ensure the WTG stays “synchronised” for the FRT event.
 H as high as possible, H>3 secs; Xd” as low as possible <10%, Xd’ < 15%.
 Capacitor Bank
 Provides steady state voltage support.
 Typically, under normal operation, Q losses are compensated with 10% by STATCOM,
50% by cap bank, and the rest by synchronous condenser.
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Example - WPP -
Overview

 SCR at PoC (Port Hardy) is

1.64, and 1.28 at MV bus

 Reactive Plant Equipment:

 3× 5 MVAr STATCOMs
 5× 9 MVAr Cap Banks
 1× 20 MVA Synchronous
Condenser
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BCTC: Vancouver Island regional system

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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Example – WPP – Voltage Angle Shift issue

 Large and fast voltage angle

shift can result in pole slip
of synchronous machines,
including the synchronous
condenser, and create WTG
PLL controller instability. Reverse power and angle shift→
pole slip
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Wind Power Plant Solutions

Example – WPP – Voltage Angle Shift solution

 Increase the inertia for the

synchronous condenser to
reduce the angle shift. The
inertia constant (H)
increased from 3 to 3.93 s
 Within the timeframe before
pole slip, P can be reduced
by advancing the WTG
LVRT control activation
voltage to 0.89 pu (default is
0.85 pu)
angle shift limited to
~30degrees→ no pole slip
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WPP solutions can be connected to a weak grid and successfully

comply with the grid code.
Thank you for your attention. Questions?
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