Abstract

Low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) present a considerable challenge to the long-term viability of contemporary interconnected electrical networks. These oscillations may cause instability in the system, increased equipment stress, and reduced reliability in power delivery. Traditional controllers, such as Power System Stabilizers (PSS), have limitations in efficiently reducing oscillations between areas, particularly in large, multi-machine networks. To address this, Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices present a promising alternative due to their ability to dynamically control transmission line parameters and enhance system stability. This research proposes an integrated damping strategy using four FACTS controllers ‘Static VAR Compensator (SVC), Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), and Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) for effective suppression of LFOs. The controllers settings are adjusted for maximum effectiveness utilizing the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm to adapt to changing system conditions in real-time. The proposed control approach is tested within the IEEE 30-bus system under normal, light, and heavy loading conditions. The simulation outcomes demonstrate that ACO-optimized FACTS controllers significantly outperform both the base case and non-optimized configurations by reducing settling time, overshoot, and power losses, thereby enhancing overall system stability and damping performance. Performance is measured using indices like Integral of Squared Error (ISE), Integral of Time Squared Error (ITSE), Integral of Absolute Error (IAE), Integral of Time Absolute Error (ITAE), LMN (Line Stability Index), FVSI (Fast Voltage Stability Index) and VSF (Voltage Sensitivity Factor).

Keywords

Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS), Static VAR Compensator (SVC), Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Low-Frequency Oscillations, Power System Stability,

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