Steady-state methodology for investigating the relationship between photovoltaic (PV) facility size, location, and voltage impact

The installation of photovoltaic (PV) generation facilities, directly connected to the distribution system, presents a number of planning and operational concerns regarding the potential impact on the management of feeder voltages. In this paper, a model of an actual utility feeder was used to evaluate the relationship between PV facility size, location, and voltage impact. For five PV facility locations, the impacts on steady state voltage, voltage variability, and regulator tap change operations were quantified as a function of PV facility rating. The study results were used to determine the need for limits on PV facility power rating, including whether such limits needed to be a function of the interconnection point's location on the feeder.