Enhancing the Voltage Stability of a Galapagos Microgrid using a DSTATCOM

A demographic growth of the Galapagos archipelago and the increase in the tourist sector have caused the massive use of air conditioning systems (A/C). The A/C is considered as dynamic loads of induction motor type. When these loads are massively connected to the electrical microgrid system (MG) of the Galapagos Islands: Baltra-Santa Cruz, they cause operational problems related to dynamic voltage stability and reactive power control. This situation gets worse when disturbances occur in the MG system. It becomes difficult to maintain voltage stability, the continuity and quality of the electric power supply. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that with the incorporation of a Synchronous Static Compensating device for Distribution (DSTATCOM) in the MG Baltra-Santa Cruz system, the dynamic performance of the voltage and the supply of reactive power are improved when disturbances occur in a massive A/C connection scenario. This is done through dynamic simulations in PowerFactory DIgSilent. The results show that a coordinated operation of the generation system and the DSTATCOM device allows solving problems related to the instability of voltage and reactive power due to massive connection of inductive loads in the MG Baltra - Santa Cruz of Galapagos Islands.