Reassessment of voltage stability for distribution
networks in presence of DG
J. A. Sa’ed, M. K. Jubran
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Birzeit University
Ramallah, Palestine
jsaed@birzeit.edu
Abstract—There is a growing interest in integrating
renewable energy based distributed generation (DG) in the
electrical power distribution networks. The installation of DG
units at distribution level impacts critically the planning and
operation characteristics of the network. The type, location,
number and capacity of the integrated DGs affects system
behavior and performance. In this paper the effect of installing
new DGs on the distribution network voltage stability is studied.
The optimal location of the newly installed DGs are decided
based on the Power Stability Index (PSI) and Voltage Stability
Index (VSI). Moreover, Voltage Stability Margin (VSM) of the
interconnected DG distribution network is demonstrated for
different scenarios.
Keywords— Distributed generation; DG integration; voltage
stability; power stability index.
I. INTRODUCTION
With the advent of DG units that provide significant
benefits such as lower-cost electricity and high power
reliability, the electrical power networks are undergoing rapid
restructuring and development. Advancements in technologies
and environmental concerns have led to an increase in the
reliance on renewable energy based DGs [1]-[5].
Interconnecting these DGs to an existing distribution system
provides various benefits to several entities including the
owner, utility and end customer [2]. Nevertheless, some
problems may arise when integrating new DGs in the power
distribution network; the latter is no longer radial because it is
not supplied by a single main power source [2]. The planning
of the electric system with the presence of DGs requires
defining several factors including the best technology to be
used, the size, location and capacity of each unit, the
interconnection method, etc. [6]-[9]. The problem of defining
the optimal location and size of DGs is of great importance; the
installation of DGs with specific sizes at non-optimal locations,
may lead to an increase in system losses, implying in an
increase of costs and therefore having an effect opposite to the
desired [1]. The selection of the best places for installation and
the size of the DG units in large distribution system is a
complex combinatorial optimization problem [6]. This paper
will address some possibilities to handle grid planning issues.
Effect of the DGs on the distribution network stability will be
demonstrated and studied for different types of DG units; the
classification of DG units is based on their terminal
characteristics in terms of real and reactive power delivering
capability. The penetration level, location, and type of
978-1-5090-2320-2/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE
S. Favuzza, F. Massaro
DEIM - Department of Energy, Information Engineering
and Mathematical Models
Università di Palermo
Palermo, Italy
interconnected DGs are used as parameters in order to verify
the effects of DGs on VSM. Detailed simulations are carried
out to explain and verify the results.
II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Distributed generation has significant impacts on the
operation of the system and equipment such as steady-state
operation, dynamic operation, reliability, power quality,
stability and safety for both customers and electricity suppliers
[4], [5]. Each of these impacts may manifest itself either
positively or negatively, depending on the distribution system,
distributed generators and load characteristics [1], [2]. This
study focuses on evaluating and verifying the effects of
interconnected DGs on voltage stability in distribution systems.
Moreover, this work demonstrates the influence of installing
DGs on voltage profile and power losses, and hence the
optimal capacity and location of the DGs are determined based
on the PSI and VSI criteria.
The PSI and VSI are used in this paper in order to find the
optimal location of installing new DG; PSI and VSI criteria are
based on the most critical bus in the system that can lead to
system instability when the load increases above certain limit.
PSI and VSI can be calculated as [10], [11]:
Ͷܴ௜௝ ሺܲ௅ െ ܲீ ሻ
ܲܵ‫ ܫ‬ൌ
ሾȁܸ௜ ȁ …‘•ሺߠ െ ߜሻሿଶ
Ͷܺ௜௝ ܲ௅ଶ
ܸܵ‫ ܫ‬ൌ ቆ ൅ ܳ௅ ቇ
ܸ௜ଶ ܳ௅
Where
PL = real load power at bus j,
QL = reactive load power at bus j,
PG = generated power at bus j,
Vi = voltage at bus i,
Rij = resistance of the line i-j,
Xij = reactance of the line i-j,
ߠ = impedance angle of the line i-j,
ߜ = (ߜ௜ െ  ߜ௝ ሻ = (the angle of the voltage at bus i - the angle of
the voltage at bus j),
 Under normal stable operating conditions, the PSI and VSI single line diagram for typical radial distribution system shown
should be less than unity; the system will be more stable as the in Fig. 2, assuming the real power output of DG connected to
values of PSI and VSI are closer to zero. In order to find the bus i is PDGi , the reactive power output of DG is QDGi , the
optimum location of the DG unit, the PSI and VSI value should power factor of DG is PFDGi , the active and reactive power
be calculated for each line in the network, the DG unit should injected at bus i , where the DG is located, are given by [13]:
be located at j-bus where the line i - j have the highest values.
For multi DG units, the optimum location of the second DG ܲ௜ ൌ ܲ஽ீ௜ െ ܲ஽௜
can be determined based on the effect of first DG, with its ܳ௜ ൌ ܳ஽ீ௜ െ ܳ஽௜
optimum size and optimal location, on the PSI and VSI values in which
[10], [11]. ܳ஽ீ௜ ൌ ܽܲ஽ீ௜
where
In Fig.1, the bus voltage magnitude is plotted versus the ܽ ൌ ሺ‫݊݃݅ݏ‬ሻ–ƒሺ…‘• ିଵ ሺܲ‫ܨ‬஽ீ௜ ሻሻ
load demand. The VSM is also shown as the distance between
the current operating point and the voltage collapse point (Knee The sign function is defined as:
Point). At the Knee point, the load demand equals the ൅ͳ Ǣ ‫ݎ݁ݓ݋݌݁ݒ݅ݐܿܽ݁ݎ݃݊݅ݐ݆ܿ݁݊݅ܩܦ‬
maximum deliverable power. The VSM provides a reasonable ‫ ݊݃݅ݏ‬ൌ  ൜ ൠ
െͳ Ǣ ‫ݎ݁ݓ݋݌݁ݒ݅ݐܿܽ݁ݎ݃݊݅݉ݑݏ݊݋ܿܩܦ‬
measure of the long term voltage stability margin, which
cannot be used to capture the short-term voltage stability [12].
1
TABLE I. MAJOR TYPES OF DG BASED ON POWER DELIVERING CAPABILITY
Operating Point
DG Type Type Description Example
Type 1 DG is capable of injecting Synchronous generators
0.95 both real and reactive power
Type 2 DG is capable of injecting Induction generators such as
real power but consuming wind generation farms
Bus Voltage Magnitude

0.9 Pmax
reactive power
Type 3 DG is capable of injecting PV, micro turbines, and fuel
real power only cells integrated to the main
grid with converters/inverters
0.85
Voltage Stability Margin Type 4 DG is capable of injecting Synchronous compensators
Knee Point reactive power only

0.8 The characteristics of the four DG types considered in this

study are listed in table II.
0.75
TABLE II. THE ܽ PARAMETERS FOR THE MAJOR TYPES OF DG
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Load Demand DG Type ࡼࡲࡰࡳ࢏ sign ࢇ
Type 1 Ͳ ൏ ܲ‫ܨ‬஽ீ ൏ ͳ ൅ͳ constant
Fig. 1. Voltage stability margin
Type 2 Ͳ ൏ ܲ‫ܨ‬஽ீ ൏ ͳ -1 constant
III. PROPOSED SYSTEM STUDIES Type 3 ܲ‫ܨ‬஽ீ ൌ ͳ -- 0
Type 4 ܲ‫ܨ‬஽ீ ൌ Ͳ +1 λ
A. Description of the Radial Distribution Test System
A typical IEEE 12-bus radial distribution system with the In order to study the effect of distributed generators
topology shown in Fig. 2 has been considered [10], [11]. In this capacity on the system behavior, the Penetration Level (PL)
study the distributed generator buses are modeled as PQ bus parameter is defined as the ratio of the total complex power
with power factor of 0.92 for the DG of type 1 and type 2 generation from DGs (σ ܵ஽ீ ) to the complex power peak load
mentioned in Table I. MATLAB software has been used to demand (σ ܵ௉௘௔௞ ) and it can be calculated as [1]-[2]:
simulate the proposed system. σ ܵ஽ீ
ܲ‫ ܮ‬ൌ ‫ͲͲͳ כ‬Ψ
σ ܵ௉௘௔௞
To investigate the DG unit’s impacts on the voltage
stability, the following two main scenarios have been
simulated and discussed in this study.
1) “Without DG” scenario: in this scenario, the radial
distribution network is analyzed without any DG
interconnected. PSI and VSI values are calculated for
Fig. 2. Single line diagram of the 12-bus radial distribution network each line in the test network in order to choose the
B. Types and Capacity of DG optimum location of the DG to be installed.
2) “A DG interconnected” scenario: in this scenario, a
Generally DG can be classified into four major types based single DG plant is installed at the optimum location
on their terminal characteristics in terms of real and reactive determined in the “Without DG” scenario. The
power delivering capability [13]; different DG types, listed in
optimum capacity of DG is then determined such that
Table I, have been considered in this study. Considering the
 the total power losses in the network is minimized. On B. Effect of DG on Voltage Profile
the other hand, the penetration level and type of At first, a study is performed on the radial test system
interconnected DGs are used as parameters in order to without any DG. The “Without DG” curve in Fig. 6 shows the
verify the effects of DG on the power losses, voltage voltage profile which identify that the minimum voltage occurs
profile and VSM. at the end of the feeder (bus 12); also, it is observed that the
voltages at all buses are within the acceptable voltage range. As
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS AND EVALUATION an obvious result in this case, the voltages of buses decrease
A. Optimal Location and Capacity of DG toward the end of the feeder; this can affect consumers feeding.
The aim of this section is to determine the optimal location 0.04
of the DG in the distribution network based on the PSI and VSI DG Type 1
0.035
criteria discussed earlier. After identifying the corresponding DG Type 2
optimum location of the DG, the optimum DG capacity is DG Type 3
0.03
selected such that the total power losses in the network is DG Type 4
minimized.

Total P loss (MW)

0.025
The impact of DG on the PSI and VSI are demonstrated for
0.02
12- bus radial distribution network; PSI and VSI are evaluated.
Fig. 3 shows the values of PSI and VSI, it can be observed that 0.015
PSI and VSI conceded the same information about the
optimum DG location; PSI and VSI values are maximum at 0.01
branch number 8 and hence the optimal location for the DG is
bus number 9. 0.005

0.0080 0
0 20 40 60 80 100
DG Penetration Level (%)
0.0060
Fig. 4. Active power losses vs. PL for different DG types, DG at bus 9
0.0040
PSI
VSI 0.0020

0.0000
0.035
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Branch Number 0.03

0.025
Fig. 3. PSI and VSI values for IEEE 12-bus radial distribution network
Total P loss (MW)

0.02

DG plant was installed at bus 9; the optimum location

based on the PSI and VSI criteria. The power losses in the 12- 0.015

bus radial distribution network are evaluated with different

12
penetration levels for different DG types in order to find the 0.01
10
optimal capacity of the DG that minimizes the total power 8

losses in the test distribution network. 0.005

0 4
6 Bus Number

20
40
Fig. 4 illustrates the power losses for different DG types; it 60
DG Penetration Level (%)
80 0
2

is clear from this figure that, for a particular interconnected 100

bus, as the size of DG increases, the losses are reduced to a
minimum value (i.e. the optimal DG size) and if the size of DG
is further increased, the losses starts to increase and it is likely
that it may overshoot the losses before installing the DG case.
To verify the results obtained earlier, Fig. 5 shows a mesh
plot of the total power losses in the test distributed network
versus the location and size of DG (type 3). The minimum total
losses power occurs when installing DG at bus number 9 with
PL=40.3%. These results confirm the results obtained from
Fig.3 and Fig.4. Thus planning from the perspective of total
power losses reduction is a sizing as well as locational issue.
Fig. 5. Effect of capacity and location of DG on active power losses
The second study was implemented in order to address the
impact of the type and capacity of the DG units on the feeder
voltage profile. The penetration level for different DG types
(DG is connected at bus 9; optimal location) are set equal to
40%; optimum capacity. It is clear from Fig. 6 that the presence
of DG in the system improves the voltage profile for all DG
types. However, the DG of types 1 and 3 provide more voltage
improvement than the other two types. Furthermore, a
comparison between different DG penetration levels of type 3
(DG is connected at bus 9) is shown in Fig. 7; as the
penetration of DG increases, the improvement in the voltage Fig. 9 visualizes the impact of DG penetration level on
profile increases. VSM; it shows the P-V curves with different values of
1
penetration level for the DG of type 3; it is clear that as the
penetration of DG increases the improvement in VSM
0.995 increases.
0.99 1
Without DG
0.985 DG Type 1
0.9 DG Type 2
Voltage (pu)

0.98 DG Type 3

Bus Voltage Magnitude (pu)

DG Type 4
0.8
0.975

0.97
Without DG 0.7
0.965 DG Type 1
DG Type 2
DG Type 3 0.6
0.96
DG Type 4

0.955
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 0.5
Bus Number

Fig. 6. Voltage profile of the test radial network. 0.4

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2
1.03 Load Real Power (MW)

Fig. 8. P-V curves at bus 9 for different DG types, PL=40%

1.02

1.01 1.1

Without DG
1 PL= 20%
1
Voltage (pu)

PL= 40%
0.99 PL= 60%
0.9 PL= 80%
Bus Voltage Magnitude (pu)

0.98

Without DG 0.8
0.97
PL=20%
PL=40%
0.7
0.96 PL=60%
PL=80%
0.95 0.6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Bus Number
0.5
Fig. 7. Voltage profile for different penetration level

C. Impact of DG on Voltage Stability Margin (VSM) 0.4

The impact of type, capacity, number and location of the
DGs on VSM is valuable; concentrating on the optimal
placement and capacity of a DG in a distribution network to
maintain a stable and secure operation of a power system and
hence to keep the system in an economical and safety state, the
results of this part is essential.
The power flow was run on the test distribution network for
different DG types (DG is connected at bus 9) with different
penetration levels, and P-V curves are presented in order to
investigate the impact of DG on VSM.
Fig. 8 illustrates the P-V curves for the four different types
of the DGs; this figure is presented in order to investigate the
improvement in the VSM after DG installation; it is clear that
for all types considered in this work, there is an improvement
in the VSM. Moreover, the DG of types 1 and 3 provide more
improvement than the other two DG types.
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4
Load Real Power (MW)
Fig. 9. P-V curves at bus 9 for different penetration level-DG of type 3
V. CONCLUSION
The integration of distributed generations within the
distributed network has many effects on the network.
Understanding and dealing with these affects is unavoidable in
order to maximize the benefits and reduce the losses. A
comprehensive analysis must be done before integrating DG
units to provide the optimal solution that result in an effective
DG integration. This paper has analyzed and investigated the
effect of integrating different types of distributed generators on
voltage stability and power losses of radial distribution
networks. The performance of the interconnected DG
distribution network has been analyzed, and a comparison
among many cases with different types, sizes and locations of
interconnected DGs are considered and discussed. Moreover,
an evaluation of DGs impact on PSI and VSI are introduced
and explained. The optimal capacity and location of the DG,
depending on the PSI and VSI criteria, are achieved. The
impact of DG on voltage stability margin improvement is also
determined. When DGs are optimally installed in distribution
network, the bus voltages will increase and voltage security
will enhance.
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