How FACTS controllers benefit AC transmission systems

This paper provides a summary of one of the three planned presentations on the topic of "FACTS Fundamentals", for a session sponsored by the DC and FACTS Education Working Group, under the DC and FACTS Subcommittee of the T&D Committee. This session was first presented in Dallas, TX at the 2003 T&D Conference and Exposition, and then again at the 2004 PES General Meeting in Denver, CO. This paper is on Part I of the session and focuses on a summary of the issues and benefits of applying FACTS controllers to AC power systems. An introduction to the basic circuits of several FACTS controllers is also provided with a focus on their system performance characteristics. This paper is designed to be accompanied by the presentation material