1

EMTP simulation of synchronous machine from

standstill to synchronization
U. Karaagac (student member), J. Mahseredjian (senior member) and S. Dennetière (member)

system controllers as well as power electronic devices. The

Abstract— This paper presents the modeling and simulation new SM (synchronous machine) module presented in this
studies for the startup of a 250 MVA pumped storage unit in paper enables simulating the machine from standstill to rated
pumping mode and the startup of a 65 MVA hydraulic unit as a speed and therefore allows studying the startup of pumped
corrective action following an uncontrolled islanding of an area
storage units.
due to an extreme contingency. The new synchronous machine
(SM) module of EMTP-RV enables the simulation of the machine The tested Pumped Storage Power Plant (PSPP) is located
from standstill and makes it possible to use it for studies in France and composed of four 250 MVA units for a total
including: analysis of the disturbances generated by the capacity of 1000 MVA. The SFC approach is utilized for
operation of the static frequency convertor (SFC) during electrical starting of units in the pumping mode. All
electrical startup of a pumped storage unit and simulation of manufacturer data regarding the existing synchronous
system restoration following a complete collapse of a major part
machine and SFC was available for building the simulation
of an interconnection. The proposed model is validated by using
field measurements from a 250 MVA pumped storage unit for the model presented in this paper. In addition it was possible to
period from standstill to line operation including the access field measurements that included electrical frequency,
synchronization of the machine to the grid. field current, rms values of terminal voltages and currents and
Index Terms—EMTP, synchronous machine, startup, static active and reactive powers delivered by the machine.
frequency convertor, pumped storage power plant The provided manufacturer data on the SFC gives detailed
information about the operating principle of the system.
I. INTRODUCTION However, it does not include sufficient information in order to

I n pumped storage power plants, synchronous machines are

operated as synchronous motors to pump the water from
the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir and as synchronous
generate the mathematical model of the controller that can be
directly utilized in the simulations. Therefore, an imitating
controller with reasonable parameters is proposed for the
generators to produce electrical power by using the falling simulations. The tuning study regarding the control
energy of the water, which flows from the upper reservoir to parameters is performed on a simplified model in Simulink
the lower reservoir. This operation increases peak load [3].
capability and hence the power company can have the ability The complete system is simulated for the period from
to offer more power to industries as well as households. The standstill to line operation including the synchronization of
synchronous machines, therefore, need to be started and the machine to the grid. The simulation results and the field
stopped frequently. Various systems have been proposed and measurements show that the new SM module represents the
implemented for the electrical starting of pumped storage machine behavior in a satisfying manner.
units in the pumping mode. From the operation and economic The new model presented in this paper also demonstrates
point of views, utilizing static frequency convertors (SFC) has the extension of EMTP-type methods to the simulation and
been demonstrated to be the more convenient in [1]. On the analysis of mechanical starting units, such as hydraulic and
other hand, the operation of SFCs generates disturbances in small combustion turbine units. These units are usually
the voltage waveforms at the machine terminal and other assigned as black-starting [4] units and can start themselves
connected equipments which should be analyzed in order to without an external electricity source in order to energize
identify the potentially hazardous conditions, take the transmission lines, restart other generating units, and
necessary preventive actions and/or design the required ultimately restore service to customers. In order to
countermeasures for safe operation. demonstrate the EMTP applications in this type of studies,
EMTP-RV [2] allows detailed modeling of machines and uncontrolled islanding of an area in the Turkish Power System
with 355 MW consumption due to an extreme contingency, is
simulated. In the simulated case, a hydraulic unit is put in
Ulas Karaagac is with École Polytechnique de Montréal.
Jean Mahseredjian is with École Polytechnique de Montréal, Campus service as a corrective action in order to restore the frequency
Université de Montréal, 2900, Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal (Québec), Canada, of the islanded network and re-energizing some of the loads
H3T 1J4 (corresponding author, 514-340-4711 (4870); e-mail: disconnected by the operation of the under frequency relays.
[email protected]).
Sébastien Dennetière is with EDF Research and Development, France. This paper consists of three main parts. In the first part, the

978-1-4244-4241-6/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 2

system at the PSPP and the proposed simulation model,

including the parameter tuning study, are presented. The
EMTP-RV model of the PSPP and simulation results are
discussed in the second part. In the third part, the simulated Network

+
islanded system and the simulation results are presented.
PLL
II. PUMPED STORAGE POWER PLANT AND
PROPOSED SIMULATION MODEL Grid Grid

+
frequency angle
Ire
The simplified single line diagram of the PSPP is given in
Fig. 1. At the pump storage station, there are four 250 MVA Current -
Controller +
synchronous machines operating at 18 kV and each generator
is connected to a 250 MVA, 18/400kV generator step-up Ire
transformer. Two SFCs fed from the auxiliary bus of the
Current

+
station provide the source of variable voltage-variable Limiter
frequency that supplies the synchronous machines during
starting process in pumping mode.
The SFC is basically composed of a rectifier bridge that
converts the input from AC to DC and an inverter bridge that

Speed & Torque

generates the variable frequency voltage from the DC stage.

Control
The inverter is configured as a current source inverter [5]. PLL

+
A. Static Frequency Convertor (SFC) Control Inverter
Controller
The inverter is realized with gate turn-off controlled

+
semiconductors (GTO), which can be forced to stop Rotor Position
conduction from the control circuit. The control strategy of SM
the inverter for synchronous machine starting is divided in

-
SM frequency

+
two stages. The first stage requires forced commutation until
Activated Activated Frequency
10% of the machine rated speed, the second stage uses natural Excitation Voltage control when
System when f > 47 Hz Controller
commutation supported by the voltage induced in the machine f > 47 Hz
windings.
SM
-

The circuit layout and the control algorithm of the system -+

+

voltage

-
are illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 respectively (see [5] for

+
Grid Grid Activated
more details, see also [6]). The control algorithm of the SFC voltage frequency
when Angle
is based on the rotor position, speed and terminal voltage. The Δf < 1Hz Controller
SM angle
Δθ < 45°
inverter of the SFC is fired according to the rotor position of
Grid angle -+
the machine in order to follow the speed of the motor and the
rectifier controls the magnitude of the current injected into the Fig. 2. Circuit layout for SFC fed synchronous motor drive
machine. The rectifier control is composed of two main Forced Commutation Stage
control closed loops: an internal loop and an external loop. The generated voltage by the machine rotating at low
The internal loop is the current controller and it calculates the speeds is not sufficient to force the commutation of the
thyristor firing angle according to the reference and actual thyristors in the inverter and hence, forced commutation is
value of current. The external loop determines the torque required. However, during the forced commutation stage,
control strategy by generating the current reference. It is when GTOs are forced to turn off, the overvoltage generated
composed of speed, frequency and angle controllers. by the current source inductor at the DC interface might be
very high and intolerable for the connected equipment.
High Voltage Substation
Therefore, the forced commutation stage includes a DC
Step-up current cancellation mechanism, which is simply changing the
Transformer operation mode of the rectifier to inverter. The cancellation of
the current in the DC interface allows the commutation of the
SFC GTOs in the inverter and prevents the excessive overvoltage
generated by the current source inductor at the DC interface.
Natural Commutation Stage
Generator/ This stage uses natural commutation supported by the
Motor voltage induced in the machine windings. The speed
Fig. 1. Simplified one-line diagram of Pumped Storage Station controller provides acceleration of the machine up to 47 Hz

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 3

with constant torque by keeping the DC current constant and frequency values which are different from the generator
hence the corresponding AC currents of the machine constant. electrical speed during the forced commutation period (f <
As the machine speed exceeds 47 Hz, the frequency controller 5 Hz), due to the highly distorted voltage waveform at the
is activated to bring the machine speed within the frequency measuring point. It can be seen from Fig. 5, that the frequency
margin needed for synchronization (fmach – fsys = +1Hz). meter’s accuracy range is above 6.4 Hz. The frequency
Following the frequency controller, the angle controller is controller of the SFC utilizes this frequency meter’s output
activated to bring the angle difference between the voltages of values as the frequency exceeds 47 Hz.
the system and the machine terminal within the margin As shown in Fig. 6, with the proposed controller
required for synchronization. parameters, the rotor speed is expected to enter into the
synchronization margin at about 111 s. Following frequency
controller, angle controller is initiated and the necessary
condition for synchronization is expected to take place within
a few seconds, as illustrated in Fig. 7.
0.94
(47 Hz)
+
1
+ + PI Ire / Te
Hs+D
-

machine
Activated when frequency
f > 0.95pu
Kf

±0.02pu (±1Hz) machine

frequency
+ -

+
+
+

+
Activated when system
Δf < 0.02pu frequency
Ka
Δθ < 45°

+ + θ/f
-
machine
frequency
θ/f

angle/frequency

Fig. 4. Simplified system model simulated in MATLAB/Simulink for controller

parameter determination

1
Margin for
0.8
Frequency (pu)

synchronization
0.6
measured
Fig. 3. Control algorithm of the system 0.4 simulated
The voltage controller is activated with the frequency
controller i.e. when the machine speed exceeds 47 Hz. This 0.2
controller brings the machine terminal voltage magnitude
0
within the margin required for synchronization. 0 60 20 80 40 100 120
Time (s)
The manufacturer data provided in [5] does not include the
Fig. 5. Frequency measurement and simulation
parameters of the controllers. Therefore, the simplified model
illustrated in Fig. 4 is simulated in Simulink and the 1.03
parameters for speed, frequency and angle controllers are 1.02
determined by a trial-and-error method. The Simulink measured
Frequency (pu)

1.01
simulation results of the system with the parameters utilized
in EMTP-RV simulations are illustrated in Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. 1
simulated
The provided field measurement for frequency was
0.99
obtained using the frequency meter of the SFC control
system. This frequency meter takes the secondary side voltage 0.98
of the voltage transformer which is connected to the generator 0.97
terminal as input, and calculates frequency from the number 110 116 112
118 114
120 122 124
Time (s)
of zero crossing points of the input voltage waveform. Fig. 6. Frequency measurement and simulation in the synchronization margin
Although this frequency meter has a forth order low pass
input filter with 100 Hz cut-off frequency, it measures

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 4

20 internally in dq0 coordinates, and interfaced with the external

network using a Norton equivalent circuit in phase
Angle difference (Deg)

10 coordinates. A prediction-correction scheme is used for the

machine variables, where the network variables can be solved
0 with (optional) or without iterations. The readers should refer
to [7] for more details.
-10
EMTP-RV automatically initializes the machine equations
-20
using load-flow and steady-state solutions based on the
115 120
125 130 system frequency, and therefore, does not allow starting the
Time (s)
Fig. 7. Angle difference between the voltages of the generator terminal and the
time-domain solution from machine standstill. In order to
system in the synchronization margin simulate the synchronous machine behavior during startup
from zero Hz, it was required to implement a separate option
B. Voltage Control
where the electrical variables of the machine are initialized to
The excitation system of the machine has an excitation zero and the mechanical variables of the machine are
field current controller which is active during electrical initialized based on zero mechanical speed.
startup of the unit. The field current is kept constant at 1 pu
until the machine electrical speed exceeds 47 Hz. The voltage III. SIMULATION RESULTS OF PUMPED STORAGE
controller is initiated when the machine speed exceeds 47 Hz STARTUP
and this controller brings the machine terminal voltage
magnitude within the margin required for synchronization A. Test system model
(100 V) by changing the reference field current value (Ifref) The inverter side of the SFC is fully modeled by a six pulse
of the field current controller of the excitation system. The bridge GTO inverter. Since the inverter is configured as a
block diagram of the voltage controller is given in Fig. 8. current source inverter in this application, the rectifier side is
modeled as a controlled current source whose current value is
determined by the external control loop including speed,
frequency and angle controllers.
The synchronous machine is represented with its well-
known dq0 equations and all necessary details. Typical values
Fig. 8. Block diagram of the voltage controller, the blocks before to the left of are used for the missing parameters regarding damper
the last summer are activated only when the frequency is higher than windings.
0.94 pu
In order to represent the measuring circuit input filters,
The voltage controller behavior of the system is different
voltage and current transformer characteristics, typical
from the behavior stated in [5] as illustrated in Fig. 9.
lowpass filters are modeled at the measuring points.
Although the voltage controller is expected to be activated as
The coupling circuit breaker is modeled by controlled
the frequency exceeds 0.94 pu (47 Hz), the measured values
switches which are activated when the synchronization
show that the voltage controller was initiated while the
conditions are satisfied.
frequency was about 0.89 pu. Although the machine terminal
voltage is below the upper synchronization voltage limit, the B. Simulation Results
voltage controller reduces the field excitation current. Since the voltage controller behavior of the system is
1.1 different from the stated behavior given in [5], two different
Field
cases are simulated in this study. In Case-1 the voltage
excitation
1.05
current controller has the structure presented in [5]. In Case-2 the
voltage controller generates a field current waveform similar
1
to the provided measurements. In both cases, the simulation
Voltage margin for time step is 100 μs , the excitation field controller is activated
(pu)

0.95 synchronization
at 0 s, the SFC is activated at 4.1 s and the total simulation
0.9 frequency
terminal time is 125 s. Simulation results and measured values are
voltage compared in the following figures.
0.85
The measured and simulated frequency plots are presented
0.8 in Fig. 10 and zoomed on in Fig. 11. They demonstrate that
95 105 100 110 115 the proposed controller model and parameters for the SFC
Time (s)
Fig. 9. Measured values: frequency, field excitation current and machine representation can be considered to be acceptable to represent
terminal voltage the behavior of the actual controller. The small difference
between simulated and measured frequencies in the 6.4 Hz -
C. New SM module in EMTP-RV
47 Hz frequency range is mainly due to the shaft model of the
In EMTP-RV, the synchronous machine is represented

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 5

turbine. More accurate simulations can be obtained by using affect the terminal voltage of the machine. The measured and
more accurate values of the inertia and speed damping simulated machine stator current plots are given in Fig. 17.
constants of the turbine. However, the difference between the The synchronization region is shown in Fig. 18. The
measured and simulated values becomes more apparent simulation of Case-2 produces more accurate results due to
following the operation of frequency and angle controllers more accurate representation of the effect of the voltage
(starting at 47 Hz), which is expected according to the results controller.
obtained during the parameter tuning study performed with 1250

Machine field current (A)

simplified Simulink model. More accurate modeling of the
SFC controller is expected to produce more accurate
simulation results. However, this will require a parameter 1200
estimation study which may need additional tests and/or case-2
measurements on the SFC controller. It should be also noted measured
1150
that, after activation of the voltage controller, the field
excitation is not constant and hence, the electrical torque case-1
changes not only under the control of the SFC controller, but 1100
95 105 110 100
115
also under the effect of the voltage controller. Time (s)
Fig. 12. Machine field currents following activation of the voltage controller
60 4
x 10
measured 2

rms line-to-line voltage (V)

case-1
Frequency (Hz)

40 1.5
measured
case-2 case-1
1 case-2
20
0.5

0
0 20 60 40 80 100 120 0
60 800 20 40 100 120
Time (s)
Time (s)
Fig. 10. Measured and simulated frequencies Fig. 13. Machine terminal rms line-to-line voltage
51
case-2 measured x 10
4
1.8
rms line-to-line voltage (V)

50 case-1
Frequency (Hz)

1.6
49 measured
synchronization
1.4
48 instants
synchronization instants case-2
case-1
1.2
47 100 110 80120 90
105 110 115 120 125 Time (s)
Time (s)
Fig. 14. Machine terminal rms line-to-line voltage, zoomed version of Fig. 13
Fig. 11. Measured and simulated frequencies, zoomed version of Fig. 10

The simulation results demonstrate that the modified SM

As seen from the machine field currents depicted in Fig. 12,
model is capable of representing startup from standstill. In
the behavior of the voltage controller implemented for Case-2
addition to that, the proposed controller model and parameters
is more accurate when compared to Case-1. The actual and
for the SFC can be considered to be acceptable to represent
the implemented voltage controller in Case-2 are activated
the behavior of the actual controller.
before the voltage controller implemented in Case-1, resulting
into higher machine field currents in the time interval from 5
measured
Active Power (MW)

98 s to 110 s, and hence, higher machine terminal voltage 0

case-1
values as illustrated in Fig. 13 (zoomed in Fig. 14 ). Since the
-5 case-2
terminal voltage is small in Case-1 in this interval, the
electrical power supplied to the machine is also small as -10
illustrated in Fig. 15 and zoomed on in Fig. 16. It should be -15
noted that the terminal voltage does not change only under the
-20
control of the voltage controller. Both, the machine speed and 60 80 0 20 40 100 120
the changes in machine stator currents supplied by the SFC Time (s)
Fig. 15. Active power delivered by the machine

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 6

5
The units having ability to start quickly might be put in
synchronization service as a corrective action following an extreme
instants contingency in order to increase the security margin of the
0
Active Power (MW)

system and/or re-energize the loads disconnected due to the

-5
measured operation of the protective relays. It might be necessary to
case-1
simulate the system during the startup and loading of the
-10 case-2
machine in order to prepare a contingency plan and identify
the potentially hazardous conditions, take the necessary
-15
preventive actions and/or design the required
countermeasures.
-20
80100 90110 120
Time (s) A. System Description and Simulated Case
Fig. 16. Active power delivered by the machine, zoomed version of Fig. 15 The single line diagram of the islanded system is given in
1000 Fig. 19. This part of the Turkish Power System supplies
electricity to a region having low population density and
800
therefore, does not have a heavily meshed structure. In the
rms current (A)

600 case of a busbar fault at CARSAMBA (400 kV), this part of

measured the network is separated from the main grid. However, certain
400
case-1 substations in this area are equipped with under frequency
200 case-2 relays (UFR) to maintain the power balance in case of a large
0
generation loss in the Turkish Power System. Moreover, all
0 60 20 80 40 100 120 the electricity generation in this area is based on hydraulic
Time (s)
Fig. 17. Machine terminal rms current, phase a
power and the installed capacity is sufficient to supply the
load demand of this region except on peak hours in winter
1000
synchronization season. Therefore, if the power balance is maintained
instants following the separation, the hydraulic units can be
800
immediately put in service in order to re-energize the
rms current (A)

case-2 disconnected loads due to the operation of UFRs.

600
In the simulated case, all the generating units are in service
400
case-1 except the 65 MVA hydraulic unit (second unit) located at the
MURATLI hydraulic power plant (HPP). The power
200
measured injections, total load and network losses obtained from the
EMTP-RV load-flow solution are shown in Table I.
0 The simulated disturbance is a three-phase metallic fault at
105 115 110 120 125
Time (s) the 400 kV CARSAMBA bus and the busbar protection
Fig. 18. Machine terminal rms current, phase a, zoomed version of Fig. 17 operates within 80 ms in order to clear the fault thus causing
separation of the system illustrated in Fig. 19 from the main
IV. ISLANDED SYSTEM AND SIMULATION RESULTS grid. The fault is set to occur at 1 s of simulation time.
Some hydraulic power plants are equipped with a small B. System Model
turbine to supply the auxiliary loads to allow the startup of the
In EMTP-RV the load-flow solution uses actual PQ
main turbine. In addition to black-starting units, these type of
constraints for loads and PV constraints for synchronous
units can be also assigned as nonblack-starting units that can
machines. The slack bus is at CARSAMBA (400 kV). After
quickly return to service after offsite power has been restored
the load-flow solution, the loads are converted into RL
to the power plant, in order to participate in further restoration
branches at the calculated voltage and the synchronous
efforts. Restoration usually involves restarting the system in
machine equations are correctly initialized to find the steady-
several locations at the same time. As the restoration
state solution. The steady-state solution is used to
progresses, each island contains a growing generation and
automatically initialize and start the time-domain solution in
load balance and then these islands are synchronized to re-
steady-state. The transmission lines are represented by
establish the interconnection. The new SM module enables
multiphase pi-sections. The Turkish Power System, except the
simulating the machine from standstill and thus extends the
modeled portion, is represented with its Thevenin equivalent.
application of EMTP-type software to some parts of the
The coupling circuit breaker and the operation of the UFR
restoration plan preparation including: simulation of the
are modeled through controlled switches which are activated
startup of the black-starting units, initial energization of the
when the necessary conditions are satisfied.
transmission system and startup of the nonblack-starting units
of each island.

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 7

C. Simulation Results operating conditions of the other units come closer to their
Following the busbar fault, the machines remain in operating points before islanding i.e. scheduled power.
synchronism. However, as seen from Table I, there is 82.8 However, the scheduled power of the second unit at
MW power injection loss due to system separation and the MURATLI is higher than the primary reserve on the other
primary reserve of the generating units in the island is 47 units. Therefore, the turbine speed at the new equilibrium
MW. Therefore the deceleration of the machine rotors point is slightly higher than 1 pu. As the system has reached
continue until the operation of the UFR. By the operation of the new equilibrium point, the tripped load at CARSAMBA
the UFR at 49 Hz, a 20 MW load at IYIDERE and a 30 MW substation is re-energized at 300 s. At the new equilibrium
load at CARSAMBA are tripped. As seen from Fig. 20, the point, the generation of each unit is very close to the
decrease in turbine speed is limited to 0.963 pu and the scheduled generation and hence, the turbine speeds are very
generation load balance is maintained when the turbine speed close to 1 pu.
TABLE I
is about 0.995 pu.
POWER INJECTIONS, TOTAL LOAD AND NETWORK LOSSES
P Q Installed
BORCKA 400 kV

(MW) (Mvar) Capacity (MW)

2

SM

SM
BORCKA

2
1

System 82.8 12.5 -

BORCKA HPP 140 2.6 157.5
LF

1
SM

MURATLI HPP 50 9.7 2 x 58.5

PI

PI

2
MURATLI

DOGANKENT HPP 35 4.7 40.5

KURTUN HPP 30 3.5 40.5
PI

PI

TORUL HPP 20 1.9 25

+

+
HOPA

Total Generation 357.8 34.9 -

LF

Total Load 354.5 85.5 -

PI

PI

Network Losses 3.3 -50.6 -

ARDESEN
PI

+
+

The power generation of the two units at MURATLI and

LF

PI

PI

the unit at BORCKA is illustrated in Fig. 21. It can be seen

CAYELI

+
RIZE

from this figure that following the re-energizing of the 30

LF

LF

MW load, the generations of these units come to their

PI

PI
IYIDERE

scheduled values.
LF

PI

PI

PI
+
1.02
TIREBOLU 400 kV

+
TRABZON
ARSIN

re-energizing
1.01 30 MW load
LF
LF

SM
PI

PI

1
+

DOGANKENT HPP

Turbine Speed (pu)

1
PI
+

0.99
TIREBOLU-1

1
1

MURATLI
2

LF

0.98 HPP synchronisation

TIREBOLU-2

PI

Unit-1 instant
+

0.97 MURATLI
PI

PI

PI

HPP
+

LF

1 2
PI

0.96 Unit-2
PI

PI

SM
+
+

+
EQUIVALENT

KURTUN HPP

PI
NETWORK

+
0.95
TORUL HPP
GIRESUN

SM 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

UNYE TIREBOLU-2 154 kV

2 1
400 kV

time (s)
LF

Fig. 20. Turbine speeds of units 1 and 2 at MURATLI

PI

PI

+
+

1
ORDU

BORCKA HPP
CARSAMBA 400 kV

LF
PI

PI

0.8 MURATLI HPP

+

+
FATSA

Unit-1
Active Power (pu)
LF
1

LF

PI

PI

0.6
+

+
2

LF

re-energization of
CARSAMBA 154 kV 30 MW load
0.4 synchronization
Fig. 19. Single line EMTP-RV diagram of the islanded system instant
MURATLI
The second unit at MURATLI is started at 60 s of HPP
0.2
simulation time with a speed set value corresponding to 50 Unit-2
MW generation at 1 pu speed, and its synchronization takes
place near 145 s. The slow acceleration of the turbine is due 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
to the modeling of the existing mechanical gate limiter which time (s)

is active before synchronization. As the loading of the unit Fig. 21. Active power generated by BORCKA and MURATLI HPP
increases, the speed of the turbine increase up to 1 pu and the

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 8

It is important to emphasize that the computer time for Sébastien Dennetière graduated from École Supérieure d’Electricité, Supélec,
France, in 2002. He received the M.A.Sc. degree from École Polytechnique de
400 s of simulation is close to 380 s with a time-step of Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, in 2003. From 2002 to 2004, he was with
250 μs . The computer is a 2 GHz dual core with 4 GB of IREQ (Hydro-Québec) working on research and development activities related
RAM memory. It is a demonstration that such studies can to the simulation and analysis of electromagnetic transients. In 2004, he joined
the research center of Électricité de France, Paris, where his interests are
have acceptable performance in an EMTP-type software. currently in the field of insulation coordination and power system simulations.

V. CONCLUSIONS
This paper presented the modeling and simulation studies
of the startup of a 250 MVA pumped storage unit in pumping
mode and the startup of a 65 MVA hydraulic unit as a
correction action following an uncontrolled islanding of an
area due to an extreme contingency. The simulation results
and field measurements regarding electrical startup of the
pumped storage unit demonstrate the capability to simulate
synchronous machine behavior from standstill to rated speed
conditions. Moreover, the proposed controller model and
parameters can be considered to be acceptable to represent
the behavior of the actual controller. The proposed modeling
method can be used to investigate the effects of disturbances
in the voltage waveforms at the machine terminal and other
connected equipments due to the operation of the SFC. In
addition, this paper demonstrated that it is possible to apply
EMTP-type methods for the simulation of the startup of
hydraulic units during system restoration plan preparation.
The advantages are in unification of environment and
increased precision.

REFERENCES
[1] G. Magsaysay et al., “Use of a Static Frequency Converter for Rapid Load
Response in Pumped-Storage Plants,” IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion,
Vol. 10, No. 4, December 1995.
[2] J. Mahseredjian, S. Dennetière, L. Dubé, B. Khodabakhchian and L.
Gérin-Lajoie: “On a new approach for the simulation of transients in
power systems”. Electric Power Systems Research, Volume 77, Issue 11,
September 2007, pp. 1514-1520.
[3] http://www.mathworks.com/
[4] B. Kirby and E. Hirst: “Maintaining system blackstart in competitive bulk-
power markets”, avaible online: http://www.ornl.gov/
[5] L. Pierrat and J. Courault, Système Électronique de Lancement
D’alternateurs Hydrauliques de Pompage, Électricité de France, 1984
[6] S. P. Rosado “Analysis of Electric Disturbances from the Static Frequency
Converter of a Pumped Storage Station” M.Sc. thesis, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, 2001.
[7] J. Mahseredjian, EMTP-RV documentation, 2007.

BIOGRAPHIES
Ulas Karaagac received the M.S. and B.S. degrees from Middle East Technical
University (METU), Ankara, Turkey, in 1999 and 2002, respectively, both in
electrical and electronic engineering. Since 2007 he has been pursuing the Ph.D.
degree in electrical engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal,
Montréal, QC, Canada. He worked as an R&D power engineer at Information
Technology and Electronics Research Institute (BILTEN) of the Scientific and
Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), from 1999 to 2007. His
research areas include modeling and simulation of large scale power systems.
Jean Mahseredjian received the M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from the École
Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada, in 1985 and 1991,
respectively. From 1987 to 2004, he was with IREQ (Hydro-Québec) working
on research and development activities related to the simulation and analysis of
electromagnetic transients. In December 2004, he joined the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering at École Polytechnique de Montréal. He is the creator and main
developer of EMTP-RV.

Authorized licensed use limited to: ULAKBIM UASL - MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY. Downloaded on January 12,2025 at 17:43:50 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.