DEVELOPMENT OF A + -100-MVAR STATIC CONDENSER FOR VOLTAGE CONTROL OF TRANSMISSION-SYSTEMS/

The availability of high power gate-turn-off (GTO) thyristors has led to the development of controllable reactive power sources, using elect ronic switching converters, for use in power transmission systems, Thi s new technology has resulted In an equipment that is fundamentally di fferent from the conventional thyristor-controlled static var compensa tor (SVC), The new equipment is called the Static Condenser (STATCON) because its steady state output characteristics are similar to those o f the rotating synchronous condenser. The paper describes the fundamen tal operating principles, functional characteristics, and basic contro l approach of the STATCON, with particular reference to a (+/-)100 Mva r prototype planned to be installed at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Sullivan Substation. This installation will be the first demonst ration of a STATCON under the EPRI Flexible AC Transmission Systems (F ACTS) program, and will be the largest installation of its type in the world.