Use of thyristor control in series capacitors potentially offers the following little-mentioned advantages:
1. Rapid, continuous control of the transmission-line series-compensation level.
2. Dynamic control of power flow in selected transmission lines within the network to enable optimal power-flow conditions and prevent the loop flow of power.
3. Damping of the power swings from local and inter-area oscillations.
4. Suppression of subsynchronous oscillations. At subsynchronous frequencies, the TCSC presents an inherently resistive–inductive reactance. The subsynchronous oscillations cannot be sustained in this situation and consequently get damped.
5. Decreasing dc-offset voltages. The dc-offset voltages, invariably resulting from the insertion of series capacitors, can be made to decay very quickly (within a few cycles) from the firing control of the TCSC thyristors.
6. Enhanced level of protection for series capacitors. A fast bypass of the series capacitors can be achieved through thyristor control when large over voltages develop across capacitors following faults. Likewise, the capacitors can be quickly reinserted by thyristor action after fault clearing to aid in system stabilization.
7. Voltage support. The TCSC, in conjunction with series capacitors, can generate reactive power that increases with line loading, thereby aiding the regulation of local network voltages and, in addition, the alleviation of any voltage instability.
8. Reduction of the short-circuit current. During events of high short-circuit current, the TCSC can switch from the controllable-capacitance to the controllable-inductance mode, thereby restricting the short-circuit currents.