HVDC to Constrain System Collapse Propagating Through the Power Transmission Networks

Abstract:
Modern power systems are continually being expanded, are required to carry more power and are being increasingly interconnected. All of these increase the risk of wide area blackout. The use of HVDC technologies can contribute to satisfying these demands. HVDC technologies can also provide immediate benefits to power grid including bulk power delivery, long distance transmission and asynchronous interconnections.. In 2003 the North America Blackout demonstrated that a HVDC link provides a 'firewall' against the system collapse propagating through a network. The HVDC link between Ontario and New York ensured that the system collapse did not progress beyond the HVDC interconnection interface with Quebec during the blackout. The objectives of this paper are to investigate contributions that integrate HVDC interconnections into HVAC networks. These contributions to constrain system collapse are demonstrated by fault tests on a network containing both HVAC and HVDC circuits. The simulation studies were performed using MATLAB.