Smart-Grid-Enabled Load and Distributed Generation as a Reactive Resource

At the residential level, devices which are in place now and expected in the future have the ability to provide reactive power support. Inverters which connect distributed generation such as solar panels and pluggable hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to the grid are an example. Such devices are not currently utilized by the power system. We investigate the integration of these end-user reactive-power-capable devices to provide voltage support to the grid via a secure communications infrastructure. We show how to determine effective locations in the transmission system and how to control reactive power resources at those locations. We also discuss how to determine reactive support groups which parallel the regions of the secure communications architecture that is presented. Ultimately, our goal is to present how the Smart Grid can allow the utilization of available end-user devices as a resource to mitigate power system problems such as voltage collapse.