ace and Automatic Capacitor
Controls Help KCP&L Stabilize System
ENERGYLINE® WINMON®
ENERGYLINE® WINMON®
GRAPHICAL USER
GRAPHICAL USER
INTERF
INTERF
ACE
ACE
The value of capacitor automation has been clearly
demonstrated at Kansas City Power & Light Company.
S&Cs WinMon® Graphical User Interface and automatic
capacitor controls are key components in KCP&Ls
progressive capacitor automation program, which they
started in 1994 to support VAR and voltage regulation.
The KCP&L system is dependent on metropolitan-area
generation for system voltage control. During outages
involving this generation and during summer peak-loading
periods, KCP&Ls Transmission System Operators use the
WinMon interface to issue requests to turn on all available
distribution capacitors, to support system VAR and voltage
needs.
In August 2000, KCP&L set the highest system electrical
peak for that year. Transmission System Operators were
concerned about projected low-transmission-voltage levels
under peak conditions, as temperatures were expected to
reach the mid to upper nineties, with a heat index well over
one hundred degrees. Consequently, they requested that all
distribution capacitors be switched on.
Using the query tool of the WinMon interface, shown below,
KCP&L readily identified over 160 capacitor banks that
were open. The query tool wizard leads users through the
process. Users choose the type of control and conditions in
which they are interested (for example, VAR with Neutral
Current Controls with CapBankState = OUT). They can
also choose to include other information in the query. The
query tool automatically generates a list of controls meeting
the criteria.
Case Study 1031-1000
December 16, 2002
New Publication
©
2002
S&C ELECTRIC COMPANY
Specialists in Electric Power Switching and Protection
The query tool lets you generate lists of devices with selected criteria. The global command feature of the WinMon interface let
KCP&L quickly switch capacitors from their normal
VAR/voltage strategy to a strategy which forces capacitors
on while providing automatic voltage protection. Users can
make a global change to any device of the same type. They
select a new set point value as usual, as well as Global in
the Change Value dialog box. Using the query results, they
can then execute the global change in the Global Change
window. If any problems occur due to failed
communication, wrong device type, etc., the results are
shown and logged as shown below.
Although many of KCP&Ls off-line capacitors would have
turned on later in the day as the load increased, capacitor
automation allowed KCP&L to switch them on proactively
and supply needed VAR support before the peak-loading
period. As a result, the immediate system operating
requirements were addressed and the service quality needs
for KCP&Ls customers were maintained.
Bernie Beaudoin, Chief Executive Officer and President of
KCP&L, stated, The automatic capacitors gave us the
needed advantage to better manage our system. There are
many benefits as a result of our capacitor automation
system, but perhaps most important is the fact that KCP&L
customers continue to receive superior service quality for
their homes and businesses.
The global change command lets you make set point changes to
several controls at once. WinMon logs any problems that occur.