Enhanced voltage regulation in lightly-loaded, meshed distribution networks using a phase shifting transformer

M.Ing. (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)Long transmission lines in power system require high line loading in order to lower voltage limits due to line losses. For relatively long lines, line charging is high and thus higher voltage limits reached at low loading. It follows then that it is a challenge to maintaining the voltages between the acceptable limits for relatively long lines. This dissertation highlights the problems experienced when load varying from very low to very high is supplied by very long parallel lines of different impedance characteristic. When the load is extremely high, there are low voltages experienced which are solved by use of shunt capacitors and/or adding more lines. When the load is extremely low, there are high voltages experienced which are solved by use of shunt reactors and/or switching some of the lines off. The type of solutions to this two loading extremes as indicated above, can be problematic, in that; new lines requires servitudes which can take too long, shunt capacitors and reactors in this type of the network is not desirable since the introduction of too many of these devices have maintenance implications and they would require continuous switching to maintain acceptable voltages, resulting in complicated operation of the network. This research proposes the use of a phase shifting transformer located on one of two parallel corridors supplying power to a load located remotely from the rest of the system. The transformer is able to rearrange the active power flows to vary loadings of the corridors and the improvements in voltage regulation can be realised during both low and high load conditions