Designing a Parametric-Analytical Tool to Predict Voltage Collapse and Analyse Malfunctions in an Electricity Transmission Network

Abstract

The necessity for greater robustness in today's electricity systems is becoming increasingly apparent, not only in the context of mounting loads but also in light of the accelerated integration of renewable energy sources. However, these systems are frequently operated beyond the limit of their thermal capacity due to environmental constraints and the continual increase in loads. If operated at the limit of their capacity, electrical systems may be susceptible to voltage and line instabilities. A number of stability indices have been put forth in the literature for the purpose of monitoring and predicting the stability of a network. However, their capacity to accurately detect the thermal limits of transmission lines at an early stage in order to anticipate their reinforcement is limited. The objective of the present work was to devise a pertinent and efficacious analytical instrument for forecasting network collapse. The efficacy and suitability of this tool were evaluated using the IEEE 30-bus system as a case study. The tool, designated the “complex stability index for transmission line” (CSITL), exhibits superior performance compared to traditional line voltage stability indices. With regard to the most critical line of the IEEE 30 bus system under base load, the CSITL, NCPI and FVSI indices are 0.7229, 0.0849 and 0.0419, respectively. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the CSITL in the early detection of lines that may be exposed to thermal limits.