ENHANCING POWER SYSTEM STABILITY: IMPACT OF WIND ENERGY AND UPFC ON CRITICAL FAULT CLEARING TIME

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the impact of wind energy, represented by a squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG), and a Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) device, specifically the Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC), on the critical fault clearing time (CFCT) in a multi-machine power system. The integration of wind energy into the power system is analyzed by identifying the optimal placement of SCIG generators to enhance transient stability and extend the CFCT. Additionally, the performance of the system is further improved through the deployment of the UPFC, which is one of the most effective FACTS devices for stability enhancement. The analysis is conducted using a MATLAB/SIMULINK-based simulation of a two-area Kundur system, consisting of eleven buses and two interconnected areas linked by a weak transmission corridor between buses B1 and B2. The simulation results demonstrate that both wind energy integration and UPFC implementation contribute significantly to increasing the CFCT, thereby enhancing the overall transient stability of the power system.