A Data-Driven Approach to Dynamic Var Compensator Placement for Local Voltage Stabilization on Feeders with High PV Penetration

Distribution feeders with a high penetration of distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems can experience voltage variability caused by the changing load flow injections corresponding to the availability of the solar resource. The rapid, uncontrolled voltage range fluctuations can affect the system. Tap-changing voltage regulators, switched capacitors, and smart inverter functions have been used to stabilize voltage. However, in some cases, when these options are insufficient or unavailable, dedicated reactive power control devices such as dynamic var compensators (DVCs) can be used for local voltage stabilization. This paper introduces a statistical framework to characterize voltage variability and stabilization, proposes a data-driven approach to DVC placement, and presents the results of a planning study on a real feeder using real data.