Benefits of GTO-based compensation systems for electric utility applications

The performance of reactive compensation systems based on gate-turnoff thyristors offers potential benefits compared to conventional compensators. The authors describe these benefits in applications involving increased steady-state loadability of heavily stressed systems; in improving the security of systems with heavy motor loads; in improving the transient stability of systems experiencing large power swings; and in adding damping to power swings. These performance benefits lead to the ability to solve specific application problems with less rating and with better stability than with conventional devices.>