The MVA-Volt Index: A Screening Tool for Predicting Fault-Induced Low Voltage Problems on Bulk Transmission Systems

In this paper, a new method for steady-state screening of buses to identify possible fault-induced delayed-voltage recovery problems is presented. The method is particularly useful for (1) prioritizing substation relaying and breaker maintenance, (2) evaluating impacts of system improvement alternatives, (3) identifying most-effective locations for undervoltage load shedding, and (4) locating voltage (reactive) support equipment. The method is based on a single index value for each bus that is determined by considering the amount of load impacted by a fault at that bus using a weighted summation. The steady-state screening algorithm has been validated using dynamic simulations and has been used to successfully identify as a potentially severe contingency the location of an actual event that occurred on the Southern Electric System in the summer of 1999.