Concepts and Technology of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS):

Flexible AC Transmission Systems – The rapid development of power electronics technology provides exciting opportunities to develop new power system equipment for better utilization of existing systems. Since 1990, a number of control devices under the term FACTS technology have been proposed and implemented.

FACTS devices can be effectively used for power flow control, load sharing among parallel corridors, voltage regulation, enhancement of transient stability and mitigation of system oscillations. By giving additional flexibility, FACTS controllers can enable a line to carry power closer to its thermal rating.

Mechanical switching has to be supplemented by rapid response power electronics. It may be noted that FACTS is an enabling technology, and not a one-on-one substitute for mechanical switches.

FACTS employ high speed thyristors for switching in or out transmission line components such as capacitors, reactors or phase shifting transformer for some desirable performance of the systems. The FACTS technology is not a single high-power controller, but rather a collection of controllers, which can be applied individually or in coordination with others to control one or more of the system parameters.

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