Active-power control strategies in grid-forming power converters to improve transient stability in power systems with 100 converter-based generation

Abstract

Grid-forming voltage source converters (GFMVSCs) are among the technologies that play a crucial role in supporting system dynamics. In systems with a high proportion of GFM-VSC-based generation, transient stability becomes a critical limiting factor for stressed power systems. Previous studies have proposed control strategies for GFM-VSCs to improve the transient stability of such systems. These approaches typically rely on suitable current-limiting algorithms, voltagereactivepower and active-power supplementary control strategies. This paper investigates and compares the effectiveness of three activepower supplementary control strategies to enhance transient stability in multi-converter systems: (i) a wide-area control strategy (TSP-WACS) using the centre of inertia (COI) frequency, (ii) a local transient damping method (TSP-TDM), and (iii) a novel local control strategy (TSP-L) proposed in this work. All strategies were implemented and assessed using short-circuit simulations on Kundur’s two-area test system with 100 GFM-VSC generators, demonstrating CCT improvement. The TSP-WACS achieves the best performance but requires a communication infrastructure, while TSP-L offers a simple, robust alternative using only local measurements.

Grid-forming voltage source converters (GFMVSCs) are among the technologies that play a crucial role in supporting system dynamics. In systems with a high proportion of GFM-VSC-based generation, transient stability becomes a critical limiting factor for stressed power systems. Previous studies have proposed control strategies for GFM-VSCs to improve the transient stability of such systems. These approaches typically rely on suitable current-limiting algorithms, voltagereactivepower and active-power supplementary control strategies. This paper investigates and compares the effectiveness of three activepower supplementary control strategies to enhance transient stability in multi-converter systems: (i) a wide-area control strategy (TSP-WACS) using the centre of inertia (COI) frequency, (ii) a local transient damping method (TSP-TDM), and (iii) a novel local control strategy (TSP-L) proposed in this work. All strategies were implemented and assessed using short-circuit simulations on Kundur’s two-area test system with 100 GFM-VSC generators, demonstrating CCT improvement. The TSP-WACS achieves the best performance but requires a communication infrastructure, while TSP-L offers a simple, robust alternative using only local measurements.