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Data centre & large-load grid connection studies

Data centres, electrolysers and heavy industry now connect at sizes that move voltages, fault levels and power quality on the grid around them. We run the studies that show the load can connect, and on what terms.

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Connection check · 132 kVIllustrative
Grid5 GVA132 kV2 × 300 MVA+ circuit+ filter+ STATCOMCampus300 MW
300 MW
Fits as is up to 290 MW
Voltage stepsite trips2.0%limit 3%
Circuit loadingone circuit out102%limit 100%
HarmonicsTHD2.3%limit 3%
TermsThird circuit
When it's needed

When you need it.

  1. One load or campus is big enough to shift voltage, loading or fault level at the connection point.
  2. The load is mostly power electronics: UPS, rectifiers and drives bring harmonics and flicker.
  3. The operator wants evidence for a demand connection: load flow, fault level, harmonics, voltage step, protection.
  4. On-site generation, batteries or back-up plant must be modelled with the load.
Events we test

What the grid sees on a bad day.

Each event as first designed, and after the study.

Events at the connection pointIllustrative
00.5101503000123t (s)V (pu)P (MW)fault−300 MWRides through · back in 0.5 s
0.9911.0101503000246810t (s)V (pu)P (MW)130 MWHeld to ±5 MW
0.950.97103605101520t (s)V (pu)Transformers on−4.8%Each step 1.2% · limit 3%
0123hVh (%)3579111317192325All orders within limits
As designed, a 140 ms dip sends every UPS to battery and 300 MW leaves the grid at once. With agreed ride-through settings, the load is back in half a second.AI training moves in step, so the campus swings by 130 MW every two seconds. Storage on site and smoothing settings hold the grid side to ±5 MW.Switching on six transformers at once dips the voltage by 4.8%, past the 3% limit. Switching them one at a time keeps each step near 1.2%.Without a filter, four harmonic orders pass the operator’s limits. A designed filter brings every order within them.
Method

How we run it.

  1. 01

    Agree

    Load profile, ramp, phasing, connection point and the rules that apply.

  2. 02

    Model

    Load flow and short-circuit model with the load and any on-site plant.

  3. 03

    Steady state

    Voltages, thermal loading, fault level headroom and reactive power.

  4. 04

    Power quality

    Harmonics, flicker and voltage steps against limits, plus EMT where needed.

  5. 05

    Terms

    Connection terms, any reinforcement, and the evidence for the operator.

Tools and scenarios

Every scenario through every study.

  • PowerFactory · PSS®ELoad flow, fault level, harmonics
  • PSCADRide-through and EMT
  • PythonScenario sweeps
Load flowFault levelHarmonicsRide-throughEMT
Minimum and maximum demand
Ramps and phasing
Strong to weak grid
Outages (N-1)
On-site plant in and out
Transfer to back-up
AI training swings

Strong to weak grid · HarmonicsOn the weakest grid, the 5th and 7th harmonics pass their limits. A tuned filter at the connection point fixes it.Outages (N-1) · Load flowWith one circuit out, the other runs at 102%. The terms add a third circuit.Transfer to back-up · Ride-throughA short dip sent the whole site to back-up. New UPS settings keep it on the grid.AI training swings · EMTTraining swings show up as a 0.5 Hz power oscillation at the connection point. Storage on site damps it.

25 checks · 4 led to a change · every case scripted and rerunnable
Deliverables

What you get.

  • ModelValidated network model files and a model quality statement
  • ResultsLoad flow, fault level, harmonic and power quality results, explained
  • TermsConnection assessment: terms, headroom and any reinforcement
  • ReportA report ready for the operator's independent review

How we check it

Every conclusion traces back to a validated model and a documented scenario. We record tool versions, model sources and assumptions, so the work can be rerun and challenged.

Selected work

Related case studies.

Case 01 · Power-to-XPower-system modelling for a Power-to-X projectPSCAD and PowerFactory work for a large e-fuels project.Case 04 · RMS to EMTNetwork reduction for large RMS modelsThree tools that get a wide-area RMS model ready for EMT.
FAQ

Questions engineers ask.

What counts as a large load for these studies?
There is no single threshold. It depends on the network the load connects to. A load is large when its demand, fault contribution or power-electronic content is enough to change voltages, thermal loading, fault level or power quality at the connection point. Data centre campuses, hydrogen electrolysers and heavy industry routinely cross that line.
Why do data centres need harmonic and power-quality studies?
Their load is mostly power electronics (UPS, rectifiers and variable-speed drives), which can inject harmonics and cause voltage distortion or flicker. Network operators set limits on these, so a connection usually needs harmonic and power-quality evidence, and sometimes filtering or other mitigation, before it is accepted.
Can you study the load together with on-site generation or storage?
Yes. Back-up generation, battery storage and any on-site converters are part of the same connection. We model them with the load, covering reactive support, ride-through and transfer between supplies, so the assessment reflects how the site will actually operate.
Next step

Have a study like this coming up?

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