Capacity Release by Shunt Capacitor Placement on Distribution Feeders: A New Voltage-Dependent Model

A new voltage-dependent methodology for shunt-capacitor compensation of primary distribution feeders is presented. A generalized computer-based procedure is described for optimally sizing and placing any specified number of fixed shunt capacitors while accounting for voltage variation along the feeder. The procedure is applied to a physically-existing feeder with known P, Q loads to yield results for capacity release exactly comparable to those from an optimal power flow. The superiority of the new methodology over existing methods is demonstrated.