Reactive power provision by the DSO to the TSO considering renewable energy sources uncertainty

Abstract The current coordination between the transmission system operator (TSO) and the distribution system operator (DSO) is changing mainly due to the continuous integration of distributed energy resources (DER) in the distribution system. The DER technologies are able to provide reactive power services helping the DSOs and TSOs in the network operation. This paper follows this trend by proposing a methodology for the reactive power management by the DSO under renewable energy sources (RES) forecast uncertainty, allowing the DSO to coordinate and supply reactive power services to the TSO. The proposed methodology entails the use of a stochastic AC-OPF, ensuring reliable solutions for the DSO. RES forecast uncertainty is modeled by a set of probabilistic spatiotemporal trajectories. A 37-bus distribution grid considering realistic generation and consumption data is used to validate the proposed methodology. An important conclusion is that the methodology allows the DSO to leverage the DER full capabilities to provide a new service to the TSO.