Modifying Blackwater HVDC for voltage control capability without power transfers

The Blackwater back-to-back HVDC station in New Mexico was originally designed to control the ac voltage on the PNM side of the converter station during power transfers. A decision was made to be able to operate the station on the PNM side like a SVC when no power was being transferred. This paper presents a description of the design requirements implemented to modify the operation of the station to control the ac voltage when no power was being transferred through the station.