Wind energy installations are increasing in power systems worldwide and wind generation
capacity tends to be located some distance from load centers. A conflict may arise at times of high wind
generation when it becomes necessary to curtail wind energy in order to maintain conventional generators
on-line for the provision of voltage control support at load centers. Using the island of Ireland as a case study
and presenting commercially available reactive power support devices as possible solutions to the voltage
control problems in urban areas, this paper explores the reduction in total generation costs resulting from the
relaxation of the operational constraints requiring conventional generators to be kept on-line near load centers
for reactive power support. The paper shows that by 2020 there will be possible savings of 87€m per annum
and a reduction in wind curtailment of more than a percentage point if measures are taken to relax these
constraints.