Para SVC Control Systems and Reactor Installation
Project Overview
This project replaced control and protection systems for ElectraNet’s Static Var Compensators (SVCs) at Para substation, to maintain the reliability of the SVCs for the remainder of their operating lives. It also installed a 50 Mvar 275 kV reactor at Para substation to reduce excessive voltage levels that are forecast to occur at times of low demand, high wind generation and baseload generation out of service.
SVCs were installed at Para and South East substations as part of the interconnection of South Australia to the eastern states in 1989. There is now limited manufacturer support for the repair of control and protection systems, and staged replacement commenced at South East substation in 2005. The existing Para SVC Secondary Systems have minimal SCADA controls and fault investigation capability. Modern digital systems will reduce analysis response times following a trip.
Following the announcement of the impending closure of Northern Power Station (NPS), it was identified that additional reactive power support may be needed at Para substation during the required SVC outages if NPS, or other baseload generation, is out of service. Conditions similar to this scenario arose at Easter 2015 when low demand, high wind generation output and NPS out of service triggered high voltages across the transmission network.
The reactor was commissioned in May 2016.
Construction is now complete for the SVC controls.
Energisation: November 2016