A Review of Voltage Control Methods in Conventional and Active Distribution Network

The rapid expansion in electrical power demand and challenges in providing required capacity using conventional solutions, such as network expansions and substation upgrades, motivates the selection of distributed generation (DG) option. The DG are complementarily combined based on their renewable sources, to form a microgrid for real and reactive power support. However, there is a need for proper coordination to smoothly coexist with conventional devices on the power network. The significant benefits of the integration include improved voltage profile and power loss reduction. In this article, the DN and active distribution network (ADN) are briefly introduced. Then the voltage control techniques in both passive and ADNs were reviewed. The existing literature is outlined as a potential guide for researchers in the field. The literature reveals that the coordinated voltage control involving the combination of voltage control devices and methods proved effective than standalone methods.