Autonomous Active Power Dispatching Control of Soft Open Points in Distribution Networks

Low digitalization level of distribution grids is a limiting factor for the integration of Soft Open Point applications. Availability of measurements and fast communication channels for transferring dispatching setpoints differ significantly from ideal scenarios. These limitations are critical from a real implementation perspective of Soft Open Points aimed at increasing hosting capacity, especially when grid code requirements related to transient events are considered. For the first time in Soft Open Point applications, this paper presents an autonomous active power dispatching control that overcomes previous limitations using an angle difference control that relies on local measurements. It complements previous works with a method that adapts better to meshed grids with optimized SOP converter sizing. Using a real 30kV grid model, a method for defining the optimal tuning of this autonomous control is described. The proposed method considers possible constraints that can affect its real implementation, such as the transient impact of unexpected SOP converter outages. It also addresses the impact of measurement accuracy on the overall performance. Finally, the paper presents dynamic simulation results that demonstrate the validity of the proposed autonomous control for its implementation at distribution level SOP devices.