DOI: 10.11648/j.sjee.20261402.13 ISSN: 2376-8126

Impact of the Sounda Gorge Hydropower Plant on Power Flow and Voltage Stability of the Congo-Brazzaville Electrical Network Under PSAT

Yves Bowassa-Bob, Rodolphe Gomba, Flory Mobonda, Christian Ngulumingi, Timothee Nsongo, Andre Masata, Verlan Ikama
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This article presents the mathematical modelling of the national power grid of the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville and its future behaviour following the integration of the Sounda Gorges hydroelectric power plant. The network is simulated using the PSAT 2.1.11 software on a model comprising 45 buses, 27 lines, 19 transformers and 5 generators. The nodal admittance matrix [Ybus] equations and the active power transit equations Pik and reactive power transit equations Qik are developed. Three scenarios are simulated: a full network configuration with the C.E.C and AKSA thermal power plants, a full network configuration with the Congo Electric Power Plant (C.E.C) operating at one-third of its rated capacity, and an all-hydro network configuration without the thermal power plants. The PSAT simulations reveal critical results for network planning, notably the presence of at least 11 out of 45 buses exhibiting voltages below the regulatory threshold of 0.95 p.u. across all three scenarios, regardless of the presence or absence of the C.E.C and AKSA thermal power plants. Sounda will only be able to operate at its full rated capacity of 800 MW with an interconnection to the Central African Power Pool (CAPP), given that the current national demand, including losses (545.6 MW), is lower than the total available generating capacity.

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