The SVC unit would be installed at the La Ventosa substation, which is close to the city of Ixtepec in the state of Oaxaca. The technology enables voltage control and improve grid reliability in the area’s 400 kV transmission network.
The technology, a part of ABB’s family of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) solutions, would also support stabilize oscillations in active power caused by an adjacent wind park with a capacity of 1,900MW. Previously, ABB has received similar SVC order from CFE for substations at El Palmar and Escarcega.
SVC devices provide reactive power compensation in high-voltage electricity networks, which enhances stability by countering fluctuations in the voltage and current of an electric grid, thereby allowing more power to flow through and at the same time maintaining safety margins and increasing network stability. The technology also augments the capacity and reliability of existing transmission networks, and contributes to the development of smart grids.
Per Haugland, head of the Grid Systems business, within ABB’s Power Systems division, said: “FACTS solutions have the ability to boost supply of electricity, leveraging the existing infrastructure and at the same time improve power reliability and help grids get smarter.”
