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Abstract

Long-distance AC transmission lines in Afghanistan, such as the 578 km North East Power System to South East Power System (NEPS-SEP) connector, face severe voltage drops and stability issues due to reactive power imbalances. This study investigated the role of reactive power compensation (RPC) in enhancing voltage stability and reducing power losses along this corridor. Using Newton-Raphson load flow analysis implemented in ETAP, the system was modeled under full load, 50%, and light load conditions. The findings revealed voltage drops of up to 16% at critical substations under full load, necessitating strategic deployment of mechanical switch capacitors (MSCs), reactors (MSRs), and static VAR compensators (SVCs). Optimized RPC configurations are proposed, showing improved voltage regulation within ±5% and reduced system losses. These results demonstrated that appropriate RPC planning is essential for the reliability and efficiency of Afghanistan’s power transmission infrastructure.

Keywords

ETAP Simulation Grid Reliability NEPS-SEPS Connector Reactive Power Compensation Static VAR Compensator Transmission Line Losses

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Wardak, R., Shirani , H., Oriakhail, Z., & Sharifi, M. S. (2026). Enhancing Transmission Reliability through Reactive Power Compensation: An ETAP-Based Case Study of the NEPS-SEPS Line in Afghanistan. Journal of Natural Sciences – Kabul University, 8(4), 255–273. https://doi.org/10.62810/jns.v8i4.482
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