Design of an optimal SMES for automatic generation control of two-area thermal power system using Cuckoo search algorithm

This work presents a methodology adopted in order to tune the controller parameters of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system in the automatic generation control (AGC) of a two-area thermal power system. The gains of integral controllers of AGC loop, proportional controller of SMES loop and gains of the current feedback loop of the inductor in SMES are optimized simultaneously in order to achieve a desired performance. Recently proposed intelligent technique based algorithm known as Cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) is applied for optimization. Sensitivity and robustness of the tuned gains tested at different operating conditions prove the effectiveness of fast acting energy storage devices like SMES in damping out oscillations in power system when their controllers are properly tuned.