Distribution Feeder Voltage Regulation
Control
W. H. Kersting, Life Fellow, IEEE
Milsoft Utility Solutions

Abstract – Step voltage regulators are the work horse of
distribution feeders for maintaining the voltage at every
customer’s meter to be within the ANSI standards. A step
voltage regulator can be viewed as a tap changing
autotransformer. This paper will apply a model of the step
voltage regulator. The IEEE 13 Node Test Feeders will be
used to demonstrate how the regulator is controlled in order
to maintain the desired voltage for full load, light load and
future load conditions. The coordination of step voltage
regulators with shunt capacitors will be included.
Index Terms – Step voltage regulators, shunt capacitors,
compensator settings, ANSI voltage standards, IEEE Test
Feeders
I. INTRODUCTION
Every customer on a distribution feeder must be supplied
a voltage that is within ANSI standards [1]. The ANSI
standards give the distribution engineer a range of “normal
steady-state” voltages (Range A) and a range of “emergency”
steady-state voltages (Range B) to be supplied to all
customers. The two ranges are:
1. Range A
a. Nominal Utilization Voltage = 115 volts
b. Maximum Utilization Voltage = 126 volts
c. Minimum Service Voltage = 114 volts
d. Minimum Utilization Voltage = 110 volts
2. Range B
a. Nominal Utilization Voltage = 115 volts
b. Maximum Utilization Voltage = 127 volts
c. Minimum Service Voltage = 110 volts
d. Minimum Utilization Voltage = 107 volts
As the load on the feeder changes, every customer’s
voltage will vary so that the ANSI standard may not be
satisfied. The regulation of the voltages requires some
method to regulate the voltages as the load change. The two
most common methods are the application of switched shunt
capacitors and step voltage regulators. The step voltage
regulators may be located in the distribution substation or
downstream from the substation. The distribution planning
W. H. Kersting is a consultant to Milsoft Utility Solutions and a partner in

WH Power Consultants, Las Cruces, NM.
Corresponding e-mail for this paper: bjkersting@zianet.com
engineer must have a means of analyzing the feeder voltages
in the present and into the future. A distribution system
power flow program can be used to determine the location of
the needed regulators and the control settings. The power
flow program must be capable of modeling both the shunt
capacitors and the step voltage regulators. The modeling of
step voltage regulators can be complex. It is critical that the
program is able to model the compensator circuit since this is
the control that determines when a tap change is necessary.
The compensator model will include the desired voltage to
be held within a specified bandwidth at the “regulation
point” and the R and X settings. The R and X settings model
that line impedance from the location of the regulator to the
regulation point. This paper will utilize a distribution power
flow program (Windmil™[2]) to demonstrate how the
locations of regulators can be determined and then how the
compensator setting are determined.
II. THE ANSI VOLTAGE STANDARD
The two critical voltages in the ANSI standard are the
“Maximum Utilization Voltage” and the “Minimum Service
Voltage”. Both of these voltages are measured at the
customer’s meter. The “Maximum Utilization Voltage” will
be the metered voltage at the customer closest to the
substation. Typically this voltage is measured at the meter
under a no-load condition. This implies that there is no
voltage drop through the transformer, secondary and service
drop. The “Minimum Service Voltage” will occur when the
customer has the maximum load on and will include the
transformer, secondary and service drop voltage drops.
In addition to the Range A and B requirements, the ANSI
Standard recommends that the feeder should be operated so
that the voltage unbalance at three-phase loads will not
exceed 3%. Voltage unbalance is defined as:
Max. deviation from average voltage
Voltageunbalance  100% (1)
Average voltage
The task for the distribution engineer is to design and
operate the distribution feeder so that under normal steady-
state conditions the voltages at the meters will lie within
Range A and the voltage unbalance will not exceed 3%.
The ANSI voltage standards provide the basis for
establishing guidelines for an acceptable voltage profile from
the substation to the most remote customer. An example of a
typical voltage profile is shown in Fig. 1.
 Laterals
Preventive
Autotransformer N1
Sub Reg
IS
R Reversing
128 S Switch
126 Max Load + Series L
Winding
124
IL
122
Min Load L
120
VS N2 +
Control
118 CT
116
Shunt
Winding
Control VL
114 PT

Reg First Reg. Last Last
Output Customer Point Xfm Customer
Figure 1 – Voltage Profiles
Fig. 1 shows a typical voltage profile from the substation
to the most remote customer for both maximum and
minimum load conditions. Under maximum load conditions
it is usually assumed, on a 120 volt base, that there will be a
one volt drop through the service drop, a two volt drop
through the secondary and a three volt drop through the
transformer. With an acceptable low voltage of 114 volts at
the customer’s meter, this requires that the input voltage to
the transformer should not be lower than 120 volts under the
maximum load condition. When running a power flow study
that models down to the primary of the distribution
transformers all voltages must lie between 126 and 120 volts.
Notice in Fig. 1 that a “regulation point” has been defined.
The idea here is that as load varies, the regulation point
becomes the pivot point for the profile. In other words, the
voltage at the regulation point will remain constant as the
load varies. In Fig. 1 it is shown that during minimum load
conditions the output of the regulator has been reduced and
the voltage at the last customer is greater. This is the desired
operating condition that is the basis for determining the
settings for the control circuit (compensator) of the substation
voltage regulator. Note also in Fig. 1 that there are laterals
tapped off the main feeder so that the current leaving the
regulator will not be the same as the current arriving at the
regulation point.
III. THE STEP VOLTAGE REGULATOR
A step voltage regulator consists of an autotransformer and
a load tap changing mechanism. The voltage change is
obtained by changing taps on the series winding of the
autotransformer. The position of the tap is controlled by the
compensator circuit. Standard step-regulators contain a
reversing switch enabling a ±10% regulator range, usually in
16 steps up and 16 steps down. This amounts to a 5/8%
change per step or 0.75 volts change per step on a 120 volt
base. Step regulators can be connected in a Type A or Type
B connection according to the ANSI/IEEE C57.15-1986
standard [3]. The more common Type B connection is
shown in Figure 2.
- -
SL
Figure 2 – Type B Step Voltage Regulator
Note that the input to the Type B step voltage regulator is
across the series and shunt windings. The Type A step
voltage regulator would have the load side connected across
the series and shunt windings. In Fig. 2 when a change in
taps is required the preventive autotransformer changes the
number of turns on the series winding ( N 2 ).
IV. THE STEP VOLTAGE REGULATOR MODEL
The model for a step regulator is developed in
Reference[4]. For a single-phase type B regulator the
relationships between the source voltage and current to the
output voltage and current are given by:
1
VL  VS
aR
I L  aR  I S (2)
N2
where: aR  1 
N1
In (2) the minus sign is when the regulator is in the raise
position and the plus sign for the lower position.
The actual number of turns on the series and shunt
windings is not known, however, each change in tap changes
the voltage by 5/8% or 0.00626 per unit. Therefore the
effective regulator ratio can be given by:
aR  1 0.00625  Tap (3)
In (2) and (3) the minus sign is for the regulator in the
raise position, the plus sign is when the regulator is in the
lower position.
Single-phase regulators can be connected in wye, delta and
open delta for three-phase lines. For all of the connections
the general three-phase model is shown in Fig. 3. [4]
  I S  abc  I L  abc
MVArating
Iline R line  jXline
CTp  CTs

Ic
 VS  abc  VL  abc kVLL hi  kVLLlow
R c + jX c Reg. Point

 VS  abc  a   VL  abc
1:1
 I S  abc  d   I L  abc + Vdrop -

+ +
Figure 3 – Three Phase Voltage Regulator Model NPT :1 Vreg VR
Voltage
Relay
- -
In Fig. 3 if the regulators are connected in wye the
voltages will be the line-to-neutral voltages. If the regulators
are connected in delta (open or closed) the voltages will be F Figure 4 – Compensator Circuit
line-to-line. In all cases the currents will be the line currents
by phase. The goal of the compensator circuit is such that the voltage
The general equations for three regulators connected in across the compensator voltage relay will be a scale model of
grounded wye are: the actual voltage at the regulation point. Another way of
looking at it is to have the per-unit voltage of the
VAG   aR _ a 0 0  Vag  compensator voltage relay equal to the per-unit voltage at the
V       regulation point. In order to make this happen the per-unit R
 BG   0 aR _ b 0   Vbg 
and X settings must equal the per-unit equivalent line
VCG   0 0
  
aR _ c  Vcg 
(4)
impedance from the regulator output to the regulation point.

The compensator settings are input in units of volts and are
 VLG  ABC   a    VLG  abc determined according to Equation 6.

 1  CT
 0 0  Zcomp  Zline  Volts (6)
N pt
 aR _ a 
I A     Ia  Zline  equivalent line impedance in ohms
I    0 1
 B  0    Ib 
aR _ b  (5) where: CT = current transformer primary rating
 IC     I c 
1  N pt = potential transformer ratio
 0 0
 aR _ c 

The potential transformer ratio is determined by
 I ABC    d    I abc 
VLN rated
Note in (4) and (5) that each regulator can have different N pt  (7)
120
tap settings.
The primary rating of the current transformer ( CT p ) is
V. THE COMPENSATOR CIRCUIT
selected to be at least equal to the rated feeder current. For
The changing of taps on a regulator is controlled by the most compensator controls the secondary current ( CTs ) is
“line drop compensator”. A simplified circuit of an analog 0.2 amps.
compensator and how it is connected to the feeder through a The “voltage level” setting is the voltage on a 120-volt
potential transformer and a current transformer is shown in base that will be held at the regulation point. To limit the
Fig. 4. number of tap changes made as load changes a “bandwidth”
There are four settings that are required for the is set so that the taps are only changed when the relay voltage
compensator circuit. Whether the compensator is analog or is outside of the bandwidth. This is illustrated in Fig. 5. The
digital, the following settings must be made. bandwidth is two times the allowed deviation above or below
1. Compensator R and X settings the set voltage level.
2. Voltage Level: the desired voltage to hold at the In Fig. 5 the voltage level has been set at 122 volts with a
regulation point 2 volt bandwidth. Since each tap changes the voltage by
3. Bandwidth: defines the allowed variance of the 0.75 volts, it is possible (and not unusual) that two different
regulation point voltage centered on the desired tap settings can occur for the same load condition.
Voltage Level.
4. Time Delay: the time delay before a tap change
is made when the voltage relay voltage is not
within the bandwidth
 1

2
Voltage Level

123
122 Bandwidth = 2 V
121 9 8 3 6 7

Figure 5 – Voltage Level and Bandwidth

The major concern now is what is the value of the line 13 12 4 10 11

impedance that is to be set? There are many ideas on how to
determine the impedance. A quick surfing of the Web. found
three different approaches. [5]-[7]. The method that will be
used in this paper differs from the references. This method
computes the equivalent impedance from the regulator to the
regulation point under a maximum load condition with no
shunt capacitors connected.
The first decision that has to be made is to identify the
feeder node that will be the reference point. Again, there are
many ways of selecting this node. One approach that can be
used for a voltage regulator located in the substation is to use
the “load center” node. This would be a node on the system
where one half of the feeder load has been dropped off to the
upstream laterals. Another method is to set the substation
voltage to 126 volts and then find the downstream node
where the voltage has dropped to 120 volts. This becomes a
logical node to define as the “regulation point”.
With the regulation point identified, the R and X settings
are computed by:
For i = a,b,c
Vregi  Vreg _ pti
Zlinei  Ohms
Iregi
where:
Vreg = actual line-to-neutral voltage at the regulator
Vreg _ pt = actual line-to-neutral volage at the regulation point
I reg = actual line current leaving the regulator
14 5
Figure 6 – IEEE 13 Node Test Feeder
The IEEE 13 Node Test Feeder was originally developed
to test the convergence capabilities of different software
programs. The feeder is highly unbalanced and is a good test
for convergence. For this paper the feeder is modified to
balance the system better so that a straight forward
application of the substation voltage regulators can be
demonstrated. The modifications are:
 Line 4-12 changed to phases B-C
 Transformer 6-7 changed to ungrounded wye – delta
with the same voltages, kVA rating and impedance
 Load at 7 converted to a delta – PQ
 Load at 8 changed to delta – PQ
 Load at 14 changed to phase B wye-PQ
(8)  Load added to 5 of wye – PQ of 300 + j145.3 kVA
The nominal voltage rating of the feeder is 4160 line-to-
line volts. The regulation point was determined by setting
the source line-to-neutral voltage at node 1 to 1.05 per-unit
(2401.8 volts). The power flow program was run for a full
load. All three phase voltages dropped below 120 volts at
Node 4. A profile for phase C (the lowest) is shown in Fig.
7.
130

With the potential transformer ratio and current 127.5

transformer ratings determined and line equivalent line
impedance computed for each phase, Equation 13 is used to 125
determine the R and X settings in volts. 122.5
Node Voltage

VI. THE IEEE 13-NODE TEST FEEDER Vc 120

117.5
The IEEE 13 Node Test Feeder [8] is modified to
demonstrate how the compensator settings are determined. 115
The one-line diagram is shown in Fig. 6.
112.5

110
1 2 3 4 5
Node

Figure 7 – Phase C Voltage Profile

 The voltage profile shows that the phase C voltages at impedances is used to compute the R and X used in the
Nodes 3,4 and 5 are below the minimum primary transformer compensator circuit.
voltage. There is also a slight voltage rise on the line from 4 The next stop is to set the compensator R and X with
to 5. Since the load at node 5 is just a phase B load, the desired voltage of 121 volts and a band width of 2 volts.
voltage rise is caused by the unbalanced currents flowing on The voltage profile for this case is shown in Figure 8.
the line. With node 4 selected as the regulation point, the
equivalent line impedances per phase were computed using
Full Load with Regs, No Caps
the source voltages, regulation point voltages and source line
135
currents from the power flow run.
132.5
130
Define CT rating and PT ratio:
127.5

Node Voltage
2400 125
CT p  700 Npt  N pt  20 Vc
120 122.5
120
Define voltages and currents at 1.05 PU and no 117.5
Reg. 115
 2521.87 ej 0  112.5
Vreg   2521.87 e j 120 deg  110
  1 2 3 4 5
 2521.87 ej 120 deg  Node
 
Figure 8 – Phase C Voltage Profile with Regulators
 2347 e j 3.1 deg 
Note in Figure 8 that the source voltage at Node 1 has
Vreg_pt   2361.2 e j 124.2 deg  been set to 120 volts. The voltage at Node 2 is the output
  voltage of the regulator. For this case the taps on the phase
 2261.6 ej 115.2 deg 
  regulators were found to be:

 537.5 e j 34.4 deg 
Ireg   633.9 e j 150.4 deg 
 
 703.1 ej 81.5 deg 
 
Compute equivalent line impedance per
phase:
i  1  3
Vreg  Vreg_pt
i i
Zline i 
Ireg
i 
Compute average line
impedance:
Z avg  mean( Zline )
Compute compensator R and X settings:
Phase A: 11
Phase B: 12
Phase C: 15
It is first seen that the phase C tap is almost to the
maximum position of 16. The profile also shows that the
output voltage of the regulator is well above the maximum
desired voltage of 126 volts.
At this point shunt capacitor banks are added to assist in
the voltage regulation. The power flow output for the case of
no regulators shows the reactive power supplied by phase is:
 0.1403  0.3823j 
Zline   0.0892  0.3686j  Phase A: 765 kvar
 0.131  0.4481j  Phase B: 809 kvar
 Phase C: 1105 kvar
With that much reactive power being supplied by the
Z avg  0.1202  0.3997j source, shunt capacitor banks of approximately 800 kvar per
phase can be added to the system. After several power flow
runs, shunt capacitors were placed as:

CT p Node 3: 100 kvar per phases A, B and C

Z set  Z avg Z set  4.2  14j Node 4: 600 kvar per phases A, B and C
N pt Node 13: 150 kvar on phase C

With these capacitor banks installed the regulator taps are:

Because of the load unbalance, the phase equivalent
impedances are not the same. Since the regulator
compensator circuits are set with the same R and X values
Phase A: 5
for each phase an average value of the equivalent line
 Phase B: 6
Phase C: 7 This indicates that approximately 300 kvar per phase
should be switched off during this minimum load condition.
The voltage profile for phase C with the shunt capacitors 300 kvar per phase is switched off at Node 4 with the
installed is shown in Figure 9. resulting Phase C voltage profile shown in Figure 11.

Full Load with Regs and Caps 50% with Switched Caps
135 135
132.5 132.5
130 130
127.5
127.5

Node Voltages
125
Node Voltage

125 Vc 122.5
Vc 122.5
120
120 117.5
117.5 115
115 112.5
112.5 110
1 2 3 4 5
110
1 2 3 4 5 Node

Node

Figure 9 – Voltage Profile with Regs and Caps Figure 11 – Full Load and 300 kvar Switched Off

Figure 9 demonstrates that with the regulator and the shunt For this condition, the reactive powers supplied by the
capacitors all node voltages are within the desired limits. source are:
The next concern is what happens when the load is reduced
to its daily minimum? For this example it will be assumed Phase A: -59 kvar
that the minimum load for the feeder is 50% of full load. Phase B: -40 kvar
The phase C voltage profile is shown in Figure 10. Phase C: -59 kvar

The voltage rise displayed in Figure 10 is a result of the

50% Load with Regs and Caps
leading power factor operating condition for the feeder.
135
The final study is to look into the future. A 10% load
132.5 growth is assumed with the resulting voltage profile shown in
130 Figure 12.
127.5
Node Voltage

125 10% Load Growth

Vc 122.5 135
120 132.5
117.5 130
115 127.5
Node Voltage

112.5 125
110 Vc 122.5
1 2 3 4 5
120
Node
117.5
115
Figure 10 – 50% of Full Load
112.5
For this case the reactive powers supplied by the source 110
are: 1 2 3 4 5
Node
Phase A: -361 kvar
Phase B: -345 kvar Figure 12 – 10% Load Growth
Phase C: -368 kvar
 It is noted that the output voltage of the regulator exceeds of using an average value of the equivalent impedance
the maximum allowed voltage of 126 volts. Once again this between the regulator and the regulation point.
problem can be corrected by installing additional shunt
capacitors. VII. SUMMARY
The reactive powers supplied by the source are:
This paper has demonstrated how wye connected step
Phase A: 97 kvar voltage regulators located in the substation can be set to hold
Phase B: 142 kvar a desired voltage at the regulation point. The application of
Phase C: 308 kvar shunt capacitors is included to demonstrate that the
regulators and capacitors work together to hold the desired
This study indicates that 100 kvar per phase of shunt voltage at the regulation point for full load, minimum load
capacitors can be added to the feeder. Node 4 capacitor bank and future load conditions.
will be increased by 100 kvar per phase.
The methods demonstrated in this paper are used to
regulate the voltages on the IEEE 34 Node Test Feeder [9].
10% Growth with Added Caps
135
Figure 14 – Composite Voltage Profiles
132.5
130
127.5
Node Voltage

125 VIII. REFERENCES

Vc 122.5
120 1. American National Standard for Electric Power –
Systems and Equipment Voltage Ratings (60) Hertz,
117.5
ANSI C84.1-1995, National Electrical
115 Manufacturers Association, Rosslyn, Virginia, 1996.
112.5 2. Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc. Product Documents
110 [Online}, Available: http://www.milsoft.com/
1 2 3 4 5 3. IEEE Standard Requirements, Terminology and Test
Node Code for Step-Voltage and Induction Regulators,
ANSI/IEEE C57.15-1996, Institute of Electrical and
Figure 13 – 10% Growth with Additional Caps Electronic Engineers, New York, 1988.
4. W. H. Kersting, Distribution System Modeling and
With the additional capacitors all node voltages are within Analysis, 2007, CRC Press, Baca Raton, Florida.
the ANSI limits. 5. Voltage Regulators 225-10, [Online], Available:
Even though the plots are busy, it is interesting to display http://www.cooperpower.com/Library/Literature/sec
each of the profiles on one graph. Figure 14 demonstrates tion-asp?ProductLineID=17
how well the voltage regulation has held the desired voltage 6. Setting the Control, [Online], Available:
level at Node 4 for all of the cases studied. Because all of http://beckwithelectric.com/Instruction-Books/M-
these have only plotted the Phase C voltages it is seen that 6200-IB-01MC2%20(7-08)%20Screen.pdf
the pivot point lies between Nodes 3 and 4. This is a result 7. SEL-2431 Voltage Regulator Control, [OnLine],
Available:
https://customer.selinc.com/metadot/index.pl?
Composite Profies id=5799&isa=Category&op=show
135 8. IEEE Radial Test Feeders [Online], Available:
http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pes/dsacom/testfeeders.html
V1 132.5
9. W. H. Kersting, The Modeling and Analysis of Step
130 Voltage Regulators, 2009 IEEE Power Systems
V2
Conference and Exposition, March 2009, Seattle,
127.5 WA.
Node Voltage for Each Case

V3
125
V4
122.5
V5 X. BIOGRAPHY
120
V6 W. H. Kersting (SM’64, F’89, Life Fellow 2003) was born
117.5 in Santa Fe, NM. He received the BSEE degree from New
V7 Mexico State University, Las Cruces, and the MSEE degree
115 from Illinois Institute of Technology. He joined the faculty
at New Mexico State University in 1962 and served as
112.5

110
1 2 3 4 5
Node
Professor of Electrical Engineering and Director of the
Electric Utility Management Program until his retirement in
2002. He is currently a consultant for Milsoft Utility
Solutions. He is also a partner in WH Power Consultants,
Las Cruces, NM.