Control of FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission System) devices for dual functionality: Congestion Management and Power Quality Management

The rapid electrification of heat, mobility, and industry, combined with large-scale integration of renewable energy sources, has led to severe grid congestion and increasing power quality (PQ) challenges in the Dutch transmission system. While grid expansion projects are underway, their long realization timelines necessitate innovative solutions that enhance the utilization of existing infrastructure. This Professional Doctorate (PD) trajectory addresses these urgent challenges by developing and prototyping a Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) with dual functionality: congestion management (thermal and voltage) and steady-state power quality mitigation (harmonics).
Although Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices are traditionally applied for voltage control and stability enhancement, their potential to simultaneously relieve congestion and mitigate harmonic distortion remains largely unexplored in practical, real-time settings. This project adopts a design-oriented, practice-embedded research approach in close collaboration with TenneT TSO. It combines analytical modeling, co-simulation, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) validation to develop a TRL6 prototype capable of dynamic impedance control and advanced harmonic compensation.
The research quantifies technical impact in terms of increased effective hosting capacity (MW), reduced curtailment hours, and improved power quality indices, while also assessing organizational and regulatory integration within transmission system operations. By embedding the intervention within TenneT’s System Operations and Asset Management processes, the project ensures practical feasibility and scalability toward operational deployment (TRL9).
The expected outcome is a validated dual-function SSSC prototype, accompanied by deployment guidelines and decision-support frameworks. Societally, the project contributes to accelerating renewable integration, expanding EV charging and heat pump connectivity, and supporting a reliable, affordable, and equitable energy transition toward a CO₂-free electricity system by 2050.