The Power Plant Controller (PPC) is the central control and coordination unit of a power plant, comprising one or more generation units such as PV inverters, wind turbines, CHP units, or battery storage systems.
According to VDE-AR-N 4110 (medium voltage) and VDE-AR-N 4120 (high voltage) standards, the controller ensures that the power plant collectively fulfils all dynamic and steady-state requirements for grid connection at the medium or high voltage level. The controller acts as the interface between the generating plant and the grid operator, executing measurement, control, limitation, reporting and safety functions.
A Power Plant Controller is required by VDE-AR-N 4110/4120 for all generating plants above 135 kVA in medium voltage grids and for all plants connected to a high voltage grid (>60kV).
It ensures that the entire power plant fulfills grid code requirements for active and reactive power control, voltage and frequency support, fault ride-through behavior, data reporting, and communication with the grid operator.
By coordinating all individual generating units, the PPC guarantees that the plant behaves as a single, compliant, stable and controllable entity at the point of common coupling.
With its integrated active power controller, SYMAP®Compact(+)GC offers adjustable active power setpoints (event based, over analog input or communication protocols), ramp rate limitation, adjustable power limits and frequency dependent active power reduction/raising.
Using its power factor and reactive power controllers, SYMAP®Compact+GC is capable of adjusting reactive power setpoints by external sources, and also of modifying the setpoint based on power factor curve, Q(U) and Q(P) curves.
Additional to active and reactive power control, the SYMAP®Compact product line offers fault ride-through protection functions, offering dynamic grid support during grid disturbances, keeping the distributed generation plants connected, avoiding cascade failure. Such protection functions include:
- ANSI 27T time-dependent undervoltage
- ANSI 59T time- dependent overvoltage
- ANSI 27Q reactive power undervoltage
SYMAP®Compact(+)GC is a protection relay with integrated PPC controller, certified according to VDE-AR-N 4110/4120 standard and is a device of choice for such applications.
Applicable products: