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www.etasr.com Shahgholian et al. : Impact of PSS and STATCOM Devices to the Dynamic Performance of a ... 
 

Impact of PSS and STATCOM Devices to the 
Dynamic Performance of a Multi-Machine Power 

System 
 

Ghazanfar Shahgholian 
Department of Electrical 

Engineering, Najafabad Branch 
Islamic Azad University 
Najafabad, Isfahan, Iran 

Esmaeil Mardani 
Smart Microgrid Research Center 

Najafabad Branch 
Islamic Azad University 
Najafabad, Isfahan, Iran 

Arman Fattollahi 
Smart Microgrid Research Center 

Najafabad Branch 
Islamic Azad University 
Najafabad, Isfahan, Iran 

 

 
Abstract—This paper studies the impact of leveraging both static 
synchronous compensator (STATCOM) and power system 
stabilizer (PSS) on multi-machine power systems. Considering a 
standard IEEE 9-bus test power network, classic and intelligent 
controllers are applied to achieve the desirable system 
performance. Simulated tests show the usefulness of STATCOM 
on network power quality in terms of voltage profile. In addition, 
it is shown that it can significantly improve the damping 
oscillations of synchronous generator under normal and 
abnormal network conditions. As shown, the PSS also contributes 
to improving the synchronous generator parameters. It is also 
observed that using intelligent controllers with STATCOM and 
PSS leads to a better performance relative to the classic 
controllers. 

Keywords-power quality; intelligent controller; PSS; 
STATCOM; neuro; fuzzy; ANFIS 

I. INTRODUCTION  
The mission of network managers, manufacturers and 

distributors of electrical energy, is to deliver the highest 
possible quality of electrical power and ensure maximum 
reliability [1, 2]. In order to achieve such goals, comprehensive 
information and studies of the power network are required. In 
normal working conditions, various parameters are important. 
These include the bus voltage level, the loss of active network, 
freeing capacity increase of network load, etc. [3, 4]. In critical 
situations such as sudden withdrawal of large loads, 
symmetrical and asymmetrical short circuit faults, etc., the 
situation is more complex. At first, network instability 
(increase in power angle and the frequency oscillation 
amplitude) must be prevented and parameters such as voltage 
fluctuations, the frequency and power angle have to be 
gradually returned to the desired level [5, 6]. Figure 1 shows 
different techniques to damp power oscillation. Generally, 
FACTS controllers can be divided into four major groups as 
shown in Figure 2: series controllers such as TCSC and SSSC, 
shunt controllers such as SVC, STATCOM and STATCOM 
with energy-storage system, combined series-shunt controllers 
such as UPFC and TCPS, and combined series-series co-
ntrollers such as IPFC [7-16]. In power production and 

transmission, FACTS devices are considered highly important 
and have been studied in several researches [8, 9]. To reduce 
active power losses and to raise the voltage, the placement of 
reactive power injection [10, 11] and FACTS devices controller 
[12, 13], has been considered.  

 

 
Fig. 1.  Strategies to damp power oscillations 

Parallel FACTS devices such as STATCOM and SVC [14, 
15] have been considered for the supply of reactive power, 
intense voltage drop compensation and sustained improvement 
in severe transients whereas FACTS devices such as TCSC and 
SSSC series have been considered for dynamic stability 
improvements [16, 17]. However, the high costs of 
construction and installation of FACTS devices is always to be 
considered. The Power System Stabilizer (PSS) element is 
undeniable and very effective [18, 19]. This equipment is used 
in production units with synchronous generators, and a 
significant portion of the risks to the network is eliminated or 
significantly reduced. In this context, there have been many 
studies on the impact of PSS on power oscillation damping and 
frequency [20, 21]. This equipment as well as other power 
network controllable equipment has been implemented with 
various classic and nonlinear controllers [22, 23]. 

In this paper, the 9-bus and 3-mashine power system is 
considered as a test network. STATCOM and PSS devices are 
considered in several positions under normal and abnormal 
conditions (a three-phase short circuit fault that caused voltage 
drop, frequency swinging and power angle swinging in 



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www.etasr.com Shahgholian et al. : Impact of PSS and STATCOM Devices to the Dynamic Performance of a ... 
 

generating units). A classic PI controller and a neuro-fuzzy 
controller optimized by ANFIS are employed to control the 
equipment in each of the above scenarios. Simulations are 
performed in MATLAB and results are shown and discussed 
for each scenario. 

 

 
Fig. 2.  Classification of FACTS devices 

II. SYSTEM UNDER STUDY 
The IEEE 9-bus standard system consists of 3 synchronous 

machines with IEEE type-1 exciters as shown in Figure 3. 
There are 12 buses, 6 transformers and 3 constant impedance 
loads. It contains 6 lines connecting the bus bars in the system 
with the generator connected to network through step-up 
transformer at 230kV transmission voltage. The total load 
demand is 315 MW and 115 MVAR. For this power system 
generator, lines and load parameters are given in [24]. 

 

 
Fig. 3.  System under study 

III. SIMULATION RESULTS 

A. Normal Conditions 
The network is simulated based on the results of load flow 

analysis. The results of the network simulation in the initial 
state (without STATCOM and PSS) are given in Figures 4 and 
5. AS shown in Figure 4, bus 5 voltage is lower than all buses 
voltage, so the STATCOM is placed at bus 5. 

 
Fig. 4.  Voltage buses in the initial state (without PSS and STATCOM) 

 
Fig. 5.  Angular velocity of generators 2 and 3 according to time (without 
PSS and STATCOM and the controller) 

B. STATCOM Placement in Bus 5 
In this section the PI controller is used, to control the 

STATCOM device in order to achieve the desired voltage (1.02 
pu) at bus 5, and the optimal ratio controller (KP=92.2 and 
KI=9.1) are obtained using a GA. Results of are shown in 
Figures 6 and 7. With the presence of STATCOM at bus 5, in 
addition to the voltage on the bus already reaching to 1.02pu, 
the rest of the buses voltage (except PV generator buses) are in 
a better mode than before. Also, improvement in angular 
velocity damping is achieved. 

 

 
Fig. 6.  Voltage buses in the bus 5 with STATCOM. 

 

 
Fig. 7.  Angular velocity of generators 2 and 3 with STATCOM (without 
controller). 



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C. Placing PSS 
Now PSS are added to generators 2 and 3. The results of the 

simulation are presented in Figures 8 and 9. With the presence 
of PSS no change in network voltage profile is found. So the 
PSS in normal working condition has no effect on the 
parameters of the network such as voltage and therefore can’t 
reduce network losses, and improve the lines capacity release. 
But, in the presence of PSS, rotor angular velocity fluctuations 
are reduced and damped with a better speed. In the case of a 
STATCOM connected to bus 5, rotor angular velocity damping 
in terms of time is improved. The PSS has better effect in this 
regard than the STATCOM.  

 

 
Fig. 8.  The voltage buses with the presence of PSS 

 

 
Fig. 9.  The angular velocity of generators 2 and 3 according to time. 

D. Case of Circuit Fault without STATCOM or PSS 
In this case, the network is simulated under a three-phase 

short circuit fault of 200ms (10 cycles, 50 Hz frequency) on the 
line between buses 5 and 7 (closer to bus 5). The results of this 
simulation without the presence of STATCOM and PSS are 
shown in Figures 10 and 11. When the fault occurs all buses 
experience a sharp drop and voltage did not recover after fault 
clearance. The 5 and 7 bus voltage, dropped more than other 
buses. It can be seen that the angular velocity fluctuations of 
the synchronous generators at the time of fault increased and 
after it was fixed, the time was spent for the damping of 
oscillations. 

E. Placing STATCOM 
The STATCOM is placed on bus 5. The controller is again 

the PI controller, with coefficients optimized by GA. The 
results of the simulation of STATCOM on bus 5, in the 
presence of a short circuit fault are shown in Figures 22 and 33. 
Because of the presence of STATCOM at bus 5 and the 
reactive power injection to the network, all buses voltage 

consist of less drop and buses are shown to have the ability to 
restore the voltage. In Figure 13 we observe that with the 
presence of STATCOM, not only fluctuations in angular 
velocity generator have been dramatically reduced, but also the 
damping of fluctuations happened sooner. 

 

 
Fig. 10.  The buses voltage in the presence of three-phase short circuit fault 
according to time (without PSS and STATCOM). 

 

 
Fig. 11.  Rotor angular velocity of generator (2) and (3) in the presence of 
three-phase short circuit fault according to time (without PSS and 
STATCOM). 

F. Placing PSS 
Next, instead of placing STATCOM in bus 5, according to 

different controllers (PD optimization and fuzzy control) [25], 
we will place PSS in generators 2 and 3 and compare the 
results. These results were compared in Figures 14-16. As 
shown in Figure 14, with the presence of PSS, the buses 
voltage during and after the error has not changed much and 
voltages in addition to a sharp drop in the voltage level during 
the fault, did not reach an acceptable level. In Figure 15 we 
observe that in the presence of optimized classic controllers, 
the impact of STATCOM in damping of oscillations in the 
angular velocity of the synchronous generators have been better 
than PSS. The results in Figure 16 show that with the presence 
of the intelligent controller, PSS performs better than 
STATCOM in terms of damping the frequency oscillations. 

IV. CONCLUSION 
In this paper, the impact of STATCOM and PSS in power 

quality is studied. The 9 Bus-IEEE standard network was 
chosen as the test network and normal operation and operation 
during a fault scenarios were simulated in MATLAB. 



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Fig. 12.  The buses voltage in the presence of three-phase short circuit fault 
according to time (with STATCOM). 

 
Fig. 13.  Rotor angular velocity of generator (2) and(3) in the presence of 
three-phase short circuit fault according to time (with STATCOM). 

 
Fig. 14.  The buses voltage in the presence of three-phase short circuit fault 
according to time (based on optimized PD controller for PSS). 

 

 
Fig. 15.  Rotor angular velocity of generator (2) and (3) in the presence of 
three-phase short circuit fault according to time (based on optimized PD 
controller for PSS). 

 
Fig. 16.  Rotor angular velocity of generator (2) and (3) in the presence of 
three-phase short circuit fault according to time (based on optimized PD 
controller for PSS). 

The results of the simulation showed that STATCOM was 
able to improve power quality in both cases. The PSS did not 
have a big impact in buses voltage stability improvement. 
However, it was effective in improving the damping of the 
oscillations frequency. It should be noted that according to the 
study results, it can be concluded that the type of controller 
used, had a great influence in achieving the desired goals. With 
the presence of the fuzzy controller, oscillations damping was 
better with PSS than what when PSS worked with an optimized 
PI controller. 

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