Advanced state VAr generator employing GTO thyristors

The availability of large GTO thyristors has made advanced state VAr generators (ASVGs) competitive with their conventional counterparts. An ASVG substitutes silicon for large passive components. A description is given of a +or-1 MVAr prototype ASVG that was developed to prove the basic principles and verify performance under practical operating conditions. The prototype has been operating at the host utility site, Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc., Spring Valley, NY, since October 1986. An overview of the electrical and mechanical configuration and the test results are given.>