Exploratory Study of Grid-Connected Photo-voltaic System Operational Impacts on a Real Utility MV Distribution Network

The nature of the modern grid is rapidly changing with the increasing penetration of PV at MV and LV levels. This rising penetration reduces the dependency on conventional energy resources and leads to several issues that have not been seen by distribution system operators (DSOs) previously. This paper presents an exploratory study to investigate the impact of PV integration on an actual utility MV distribution feeder. The impact of PV integration on power quality is studied using measurements from the power quality analyzers placed at different substations. Moreover, the feeder simulation model is developed and validated with real PQA and SCADA data under similar loading conditions. Finally, the impact of PV on the network voltages and currents has been studied using the developed simulation model under various operating conditions to analyze the effect of PV integration on the distribution network. The assessment results show limited impact of PV interms of overvoltages at normal loading conditions, whereas, manageable overvoltages are observed at very low loading conditions.