Line Loadability in Indian Perspective

Abstract: The importance of line loadability limit is well regulation where, bus reactor and line reactors are
understood in grid management for its reliable and efficient considered in the context of line loadability.
operation. Loading limit of any line depends on various II. LITERATURE SURVEY
parameters like its line length, fault level of connected
substations, inductor/capacitor connected in series/shunt etc.
Line loadability is defined as degree of line
In the year 1953 St. Clair has suggested Line loadability with loading expressed in terms of percentage of SIL, limited
respect to surge impedance loading and mathematical model by thermal, voltage drop and stability limit. This
was developed by R.D.Dunlop in 1979 for calculation of line concept was introduced by H.P. St. Clair in 1953 [1].
loading limit. Central Electricity Authority of India (CEA) St. Clair curve in Fig.1 shows the universal loadability
also came up with a modified method to calculate loadability curve for overhead uncompensated transmission line as
limit in its “Transmission planning manual” published in a function of line length up to 400miles applicable to all
year 1994. In this paper authors have dissuaded the voltage level. In 60Hz system for 300miles line length
limitations of earlier methods and proposed a new method has a loadability of about 1.0 SIL. It could be concluded
for calculation of voltage regulation which intern can be
utilized for calculation of line loading and supported by a
from St. Clair curve is that KW-Mile product is
case study. constant.
In 1967, the Planning Department of the
American Electric Power Service Corporation faced [2]
I. INTRODUCTION with a growing need for similar curves applicable to
lines of voltage classes higher than 345-kV and longer
With the enactment of Electricity act 2003, than 400 miles modified the St. Clair's curve, as shown
and introduction of non-discriminatory open access for in Fig. 2. This Fig.2, just like the original curve, was
the use of transmission system, Indian power sector has arrived at through practical considerations.
experienced paradigm shift in its governance. Apart
from already existing long term exchange of power, the
concept of short term exchange of power has helped for
seamless transfer of power from surplus area to shortage
area. This concept has further gained momentum with
the introduction of power exchange(s). all such new
product like advance short term open access (STOA),
day ahead STOA, contingency STOA etc. made
available for exchanging electricity has put a lot of
pressure on existing transmission system to
accommodate those transaction(s).
To operate system securely as well as to
accommodate all such transaction to the extent possible,
a term “Total Transfer Capability” (TTC) is introduced
by system operators which determine the quantum of
power which can be safely transferred from source to
sink through the existing network(s). TTC is generally
restricted by line loading limit which is minimum of
thermal limit, voltage limit and stability limit. Where
thermal and voltage limits are well define, steady state
stability limit are subjective and depends upon various
factors which are varying in nature. In past there are
many authors/utilities who have come up with their
Figure 1 St.clair curve
suggestions to define modified SIL taking consideration
of compensation and line length, the most famous
Analytical development of loadability characteristics
authors are H.P. St. Clair and R.D. Dunlop. In year 1996
for EHV and UHV transmission lines developed in
CEA also came up with “Transmission Planning
1979, by R.D.Dunlop et.al [3] where author has
Criteria” where they suggested same approach for
developed the mathematical model for calculation of
modification of SIL. In this paper authors have
line loadability for voltage level up to 1500Kv and
introduced a new method for calculation of voltage
600mile line length. Author has also shown the effect of
series and shunt compensation on line loading and
considered the maximum allowable voltage regulation is III. POINTS FOR DISCUSSION
5% and steady state stability margin is 30% shown in (i) In order to control over voltage in high voltage
Fig.3. substation both line reactors or/and bus reactors are
used. However for calculation of line loadability only
line reactors are considered but bus reactors are not
considered in CEA planning criteria 2006.
Typical 400KV sub-station single line diagram shown
in Fig.4 where bus reactor and line reactor are used to
control the over voltage.
400KV Sub-station

Line2
Line3
Line1

Line4 Line Reactor

Bus Reactor

Figure 4 Typical EHV Sub-Station

(ii) Power transfer in a line V1V2 SIN δ / XL where, XL
is line reactance depends upon line length and type of
conductor where, V1,V2 are terminal voltage of sending
end and receiving end. Receiving end voltage depends
upon the voltage regulation of the line. Author R.D.
Dunlop et.al [3] considered maximum allowable
voltage regulation along the line 5% shown in Fig. 5.
In well connected system voltage regulation take place
not only due to line voltage drop but also due to the
Figure 2 Modified St. Clair curve
other lines connected at the same sub station. From
10 above discussion voltage regulation needs to be
9 recalculated due to presence of bus reactors and other
8 lines connected at same sub station.
7
Figure 5 St.Clair with angle difference of 30° at both ends
10.00
6
Line loading in SIL

9.00
5 30% Stability Margin

4 8.00

3 7.00

2
50% Stability Margin 6.00
Line loading in SIL

1
5.00

0
25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500 525 4.00
Line length in KM
No Voltage Regulation
3.00

Figure 3 St.Clair curve for 30% and 50% Stability Margin 2.00

In 1994 Central Electricity Authority has 5% Voltage Regulation

1.00
developed the Transmission Planning Criteria [4] and
suggested that voltage regulation of 5% and phase 0.00
25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500 525

angular difference of 30° between two ends of the line Line length in KM

to be consider for calculation of line loading. In case of

shunt compensated lines, the SIL will get reduced by a
factor K1 where
K1 = (1-degree of reactive compensation)1/2
And in case of capacitive series compensation, the SIL
get increased by K2 where IV. VOLTAGE PROFILE ALONG WITH
K2 = 1/ ( 1- degree of series compensation)1/2 LINE
Permissible line loading = SIL x K1 x K2 x K3, At surge impedance load reactive power
K3 = Multiplying factor from St. Clair's curve generated by charging capacitance of line is equal to
reactive power absorbed by the line. Hence, no reactive of Twin moose conductor at 100MVA base, R=
power exchange by the line as a result voltage profile 0.00001862, X= 0.0002075 and B= 0.00555.
remains flat. The simplified expression [6] of voltage Line reactor 50MVAR and Bus reactor 50MVAR at
profile (V) along with line is 400KV.
MVAR absorbed by line I2XL1
Total Reactive VAR at 400KV Sub station = ½ I2XL1
+ 50 + 50
Total Capacitive VAR = ½ (V2/Xc1+ V2/Xc2+ V2/Xc3+
V2/Xc4), where Xc1, Xc2, Xc3 and Xc4 are the charging
For a lossless line, sending end voltage (E S) and reactance of line1 to line4.
receiving end voltage (ER) are same VAR mismatch at one end ½ (V2/Xc1+ V2/Xc2+ V2/Xc3+
V2/Xc4) – (½ I2XL1 + 50 + 50)
Now we know that change of voltage due to change of
Where l is line length VAR
β phase constant ∆V/V=∆Q/fault level, ∆Q VAR mismatch from above
equation
θ = βl , X is distance from receiving end Fault level = 1/XL1+1/XL2+1/XL3+1/XL4 (approximate
Plot of voltage variation along the line for no load calculation) in PU 3-Ø fault level
condition shown in Fig. 6. for a 400KM line with Where XL1 ,XL2 ,XL3 ,XL4 are line reactance
ER=ES=1.0 PU. The generators at the sending end and
receiving end are capable of absorving the reactive VI. LINE LOADING CALCULATION
power due to line charging. In the Fig.6 it is clear that Power transfer in a line-1 V1V2 SIN δ / XL1 , for 30°
mid point voltage is more than either end voltage. Under load angle of line1 from Fig.4.
load, ES leads ER in phase and the power factor at P= (1*1 Sin 30)/ (0.0002075 * 200) = 12.04 PU.
Calculation of voltage regulation due to flow of
12.04PU
½ I2XL1=3.01 PU, Total reactor = 0.5+0.5 = 1 PU
½ (V2/Xc1+ V2/Xc2+ V2/Xc3+ V2/Xc4) = 1.3875 PU
∆Q= 3.01+1-1.3875 = 2.6225
Fault level = 168.26 PU
∆V= 2.6225/168.26= 0.015585 this is the voltage drop
at one end from mid point of the line
Similarly to calculate for other end voltage drop from
mid point of the line, for approximate calculation make
it double for other half of the line.
So, Receiving end voltage 1-2X∆V = 0.96883 PU
Power transfer reduce due to voltage regulation =
12.04*0.9688 = 11.66PU
For a given 200KM line of twin moose conductor can
be loaded up to 1167MW. Line loading of twin moose
midpoint will be unity. conductor for line length from 100KM to 400KM
calculated as shown in Table 1. As per CEA calculation
Figure.6 Voltage profile along the line [6] of 100KM line loading is less than the 200KM line
loading that comes out due to the compensation of short
V. PROPOSED METHOD FOR CALCULATION transmission line. The line loading of short transmission
OF VOLTAGE REGULATION line is limited by thermal loading limit [5] shown in
Factors affecting voltage regulation:- Table 2. It is concluded from Table 1 and Table 2 that
a) Reactive VAR absorbed by the line 200KM long transmission line could be loaded up to
b) All Bus and Line reactors connected at sub thermal loading limit for 35°C ambient temperature and
station 75°C conductor temperature.
c) Number of line connected at sub station
Author assumed that mid of the line considered as null
point for VAR exchange. TABLE 1 Line loading
From Fig.4 400Kv Sub station Line 1 is 200KM long Twin moose conductor Line loading in MW
and others lines are 100KM and line parameters in PU R= 0.00001862 PU/KM As per Dunlop ∆V=5%, As per CEA Proposed
X= 0.0002075 PU/KM Technique
B= 0.00555 PU/KM δ = 44° δ = 30° ∆V=5%, δ =30° δ =30°
100KM line length 3180 2289 720 2261
200KM line length 1590 1144 848 1167
300KM line length 1060 763 638 789
400KM line length 795 572 503 598
 loading limit is 2136MW [5] at 40°C ambient
TABLE 2 Thermal Capacity of line
Temperature and 75°C conductor Temperature
ACSR Moose (54/3.53 mm AL + 7/3.53 mm Steel); Region-Northen;
Max design temerature 60,65,67 and 70 Degree Celcious; conductor
Figure 7 Line loading of 400Kv Purnea-Muzaffarpur line 1
age :one to ten years
Ambinet
DETAILS OF Muzaffurpur - Purnea 2 FOR 22-SEPTEMBER-2009
Temerature Capacity Capacity Capacity Capacity 0.00
(°C) (MW) (MW) (MW) (MW)
-200.00
60 (°C) 65 (°C) 67 (°C) 75 (°C)
20 1289 1389 1426 1565 -400.00

22.5 1191 1300 1340 1489

-600.00
25 1101 1219 1263 1422
27.5 1012 1141 1189 1331 -800.00

30 904 1048 1100 1284

MW
-1000.00
32.5 797 960 1016 1247
35 788 952 1010 1210 -1200.00

37.5 571 785 855 1087 -1400.00

40 533 759 832 1068
-1600.00

-1800.00
VI. CASE STUDY -2000.00
The Eastern Regional Grid comprises the states 0 1 2 3
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of West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Sikkim.

The installed capacity of Eastern region is 23119 MW
(including Talcher STPS Stg-II) and peak demand met Figure 8 Line loading of 400KV Purnea-Muzaffarpur line 2
is of the order of 14000 MW. The energy consumption
is around 270 MU per day and daily net export from VII. CONCLUSION
Eastern region is around 40 MU. Eastern Regional Load In well connected system voltage regulation
Despatch Center [ERLDC] has been designated by take place not only due to line voltage drop but also due
Electricity Act 2003, as the apex body in grid operation to the Bus reactor and Line reactor and other lines
to ensure secure and economic operation of the Eastern connected at the same sub station. Author has calculated
Regional power system. As such the EHV grid is the voltage regulation which in turn utilised for
operating under the supervision and control of ERLDC calculation of accurate line loading. 200KM long
on round the clock basis. Tala Transmission system has transmission line could be loaded up to thermal loading
been built primarily to evacuate power from Tala limit for 35°C ambient temperature and 75°C conductor
(Bhutan) HPS to Northern Region of India. The temperature.
beneficiaries of Tala (1020MW) in the Northern Region ACKNOWLEDGMENT
are the states of UP, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
and Jammu & Kashmir. During monsoon around 1700-
The authors acknowledge with thanks the
2000 MW power needs to be evacuated from Hydro
guidance and support given by management of
stations viz. Tala(Bhutan), Chukha(Bhutan), Teesta
POSOCO and for permitting the publication of this
(510MW) and surplus of Hydro generation of NER.
paper. The views expressed in this paper are of the
Essentially this entire hydro power is being pooled at
authors in their individual capacity and not necessarily
Binaguri 400kV S/S. The huge quantum of hydro power
that of Power System Operation Corporation Ltd.
gets evacuated through 400KV Purnea-Muzaffarpur
D/C. These two circuits have quad moose conductor,
240KM long and 40% fixed series capacitive
compensation and 15% Dynamic compensation from
TCSC.
On 22 September 2009 line loading testing was REFERENCE
done by ERLDC on 400KV Purnea-Muzaffarpur D/C
line. 400KV Purnea-Muzaffarpur S/C loaded up to [1]. H.P.St.Clair, “Practical Concept in Capability and
1730MW for half an hour shown in Fig.7 & Fig.8. From Performance of Transmission Lines,” AIEE
proposed technique stability limit for 400KV Purnea- Transactions (Power Apparatus and System).
Muzaffarpur S/C workout to 2147MW and thermal [2]. Federal Power Commission, “National Power
0.00
DETAILS OF Muzaffurpur - Purnea 1 FOR 22-SEPTEMBER-2009 Survey”, Part II, PP. 45-47 and 144-145. U.S.
Government Printing Office , 1964
[3] R.D.Dunlop, “Analytical Development of loadability
-200.00

-400.00
Characteristics for EHV and UHV Transmission Lines,”
-600.00
IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and System
-800.00 1979
MW

-1000.00

-1200.00

-1400.00

-1600.00

-1800.00
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[4] Central Electricity Authority “Transmission
Planning Criteria” 1994
[5] CBIP Mannual on Wind energy 2009.
[6] Power System Stability and Control by Prabha
Kundur, 2011