Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS)

Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) refer to a group of power electronics and static controllers used to overcome certain limitations in transmission capacity electrical networks. The combination of large-scale distributed energy generation and liberalization of energy markets (deregulation) results in uncontrolled load flows, instabilities and line overloads, leading to power transmission failures. But simply introducing new transmission networks to transport energy and reduce overloads is costly in the long run. Flexible alternating current transmission systems are brought in to more effectively and efficiently maximize existing networks.

The main benefits FACTS offer your designs include:

• Voltage regulation
• Compensation of reactive power for AC grid infrastructure
• Control of active power flow in the grid to reduce transmission line overloading
• Improved transient and dynamic stability of power transmission networks

Some examples of FACTS systems are static voltage compensators, STATCOM (static synchronous compensator) using voltage source converters and UPFC (unified power flow controllers).

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Get to know what Flexible AC Transmission Systems (or FACTS) are, their characteristics, their advantages and which FACTS devices are. Get to know the different IGBT devices, namely, the Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), the Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) and the Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC).