C I R E D 22 nd International Conference on Electricity Distribution Stockholm, 10-13 June 2013 Paper 0657 CIRED2013 Session 3 Paper No 0657 REAL TIME VOLT/VAR CONTROL USING ADVANCE METERING INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM IN FAHAM PROJECT Alireza Zakariazadeh Hadi Modaghegh Shahram Jadid Iran Energy Efficiency Organization (IEEO), Tehran, Iran Iran Energy Efficiency Organization (IEEO), Tehran, Iran Iran university of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran zakaria@iust.ac.ir hmodaghegh@yahoo.co.uk jadid@iust.ac.ir ABSTRACT Voltage regulation is an important subject in electrical distribution engineering. It is the utilities’ responsibility to keep the customers voltage within specified tolerances. Recently, the concept of smart grid adds some new features to Volt/Var Control (VVC) of distribution system. Smart grid technologies will improve control and monitoring process of distribution system. The smart grid project in Iran has been started with implementing smart meters for about one million customers. This project is called FAHAM and is a large pilot project that pursues some determined goals. This paper presents the communication architecture of this project with focus on daily VVC in Iran smart distribution system. In the proposed model, all devices such as tap changer of transformer, switched capacitors, and distributed generation were considered. This paper shows that the real time voltage control being possible with AMI system has a better capability to maintain the voltage in specified range. 1- INTRODUCTION From the time when distribution systems were first developed in the late 1800s, the reactive power and voltage control were considered as a top issue in the distribution network operation. Since the X/R ratio of distribution lines is small and the configuration of distribution network is radial, the daily Volt/Var Control (VVC) is one of the most important control schemes in distribution networks, which can be affected by DGs or load fluctuations. The daily VVC is defined as regulation of voltage over the feeders and reactive power (or power factor) at the substation bus [1]. The control is achieved by adjusting the Load Tap Changer transformers (LTCs), Voltage Regulators (VRs) and capacitor banks as control variables to minimize an objective function considering the constraints. So far, many researchers have investigated reactive power and voltage control in distribution networks [2-3]. To keep customer voltages within acceptable range, the switched and fixed capacitor banks and LTC transformer were utilized. Also real power losses reduction and freeing up the capacity of generation, transmission and distribution are the other objective of VVC in distribution system. Local VVC were the first control approach that was introduced for fist generation of distribution network. The distribution system operator (DSO) is utilizing LTCs, switched shunt capacitor banks and line voltage regulators to control the voltage locally. With local VVC control, there is no centralized coordination of volt/var devices at the whole distribution level, and implementation of VVC is far from optimal. In addition, there are costs for field personnel to travel to a site to check for the setting of devices and mach the regulation according to seasonal load. Today, VVC typically stops at the substation using load tap changer, or maybe on some of the medium-voltage feeders using voltage regulator or capacitor banks. Bringing active VVC to the all part of distribution network has been too complex to manage. First step to achieve the active VVC is to have an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to monitor and measure and gather all of required electrical parameters within the distribution network. Best economic benefits of VVC are achieved by meeting several attitudes and objectives, such as mitigating violations, reducing power losses, and shaving peak loads, through voltage reduction. Also the integrated Volt/Var Control (IVVC) is an important attitude in this field. Integration means optimize the setting of all voltage control devices, simultaneously. IVVC utilizes a dynamic operating model of the distribution system, in conjunction with an accurate mathematical optimization algorithm, to reach a given operating objective. 2- FAHAM SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE Deploying an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is an essential early step to grid modernization. AMI is not a single technology but it is an integration of many technologies such as smart meter, communication network and management system that provides an intelligent connection between consumers and system operators. AMI gives system operator and consumers the information they need to make smart decisions, and also the ability to execute those decisions that they do not currently able to do. Iran Energy Efficiency Organization (IEEO), responsible for implementation and deployment of Smart Metering project (that is called FAHAM) in Iran [4]. The IEEO follows promoting energy efficiency and load management, improve system reliability, and reduce operational costs by implementing smart metering project. 2-1 FAHAM system components In this project the smart meters will be installed for about one million costumers and the communication infrastructures for data exchange will also be implemented. The simple structure of communication system in FAHAM project is shown in Fig. 1which consists of: