High voltage direct current modelling in optimal power flows

Two-terminal high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission links are in operation throughout the world. They are key elements in electrical power networks; their representation is oversimplified or ignored in most power system studies. This is particularly the case in Optima Power Flow (OPF) studies. Hence, an OPF program has been extended to incorporate HVDC links, taking due account of overlapping and power transfer control characteristics. This is a new development in Newton Optimal Power Flows, where the converter equations are included directly in the matrix W. The method is indeed a unified one since the solution vector is extended to accommodate the DC variables. The HVDC link model correctly takes into account the relevant DC limit variables. The impact of HVDC links on OPF studies is illustrated by numeric examples, which includes a 5-node system, the AEP 14-node and a 166-node system.