A study of dispersed photovoltaic generation on the PSO (Public Service Company of Oklahoma) system

The power generated by utility-interactive solar photovoltaic (PV) generators dispersed throughout a utility service area changes with insolation on a minute-by-minute, diurnal, and seasonal basis. The utility must follow these changes with its own generation, just as it now follows normal customer load fluctuations. This paper presents the results of a study of the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) system with simulated dispersed PV generation. It was found that, with high penetrations of PV, as insolation changes, significant variations in power flows occurred on transmission and subtransmission lines that may require changes in system protection and voltage control practices.