The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf.
(PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010
The Propagation of Voltage Sag through
Transformer Connections in a Power System
Network
R. F. Mustapa, Student, Member, IEEE, M.S. Serwan, N. Hamzah and Z. Zakaria Member, IEEE
Abstract-- Due to the increasing of power system fault and
failure, voltage sag (dip) will occur instantaneously with respect
to the fault and failure itself. The power system network consists
of high voltage (HV), medium voltage (MV) and low voltage
busbar (LV). Monitoring equipment in the power systems
network are installed at strategic and appropriate 33/11 kV
feeder. The propagation and the travelling of voltage sag from
one busbar to another busbar can’t be recorded in each part of
the power system network. This paper has been written to
investigate the propagation of voltage sag from one busbar to the
other busbar through transformer connections due to power
system faults. Power System Computer Aided Design
(PSCAD/EMTDC) will be used to construct and simulate a power
system model network. The results of this work later will be used
to develop an empirical rule for the propagation of voltage sag in
power system network. It is hoped that the empirical rule can be
used for an example planning for voltage sag mitigation in the
power system networks and monitoring purposes.
Index Terms-- voltage sag (dip), power system network,
propagation and transformer connections.
I. INTRODUCTION
Any variation in voltage, current, or frequency which may
lead to an equipment failure or malfunctions is potentially a
power quality problem [1]. According to IEEE standard 1159-
1995, a voltage sag is defined as a decrease to between 0.1 and
0.9 p.u. in root mean square (rms) voltage at the power
frequency for durations of 0.5 cycle to 1 min [2]. Power
quality problems have become serious issues that are being
discussed for almost all utilities in the world. Any power
quality problems and events can have a great impact to the
utilities as well as to the consumer. The most important effect
of power quality problem is its impact on the economic side of
both parties the utilities and the consumer. Nowadays, many
modern automated systems such as programmable logic
R. F. Mustapa is with Faculty of Electrical Engineering, MARA
University of Technology, 40450 Shah Alam Selangor (e-mail:
rijalulfahmi@ieee.org).
M. S. Serwan is with the Advanced Power Solutions Sdn. Bhd, Selangor
(e-mail: serwan@aps-my.com).
N. Hamzah is with Faculty of Electrical Engineering, MARA University
of Technology, 40450 Shah Alam Selangor.
Z. Zakaria is with Faculty of Electrical Engineering, MARA University of
Technology, 40450 Shah Alam Selangor (e-mail: zuhaina@ieee.org).
978-1-4244-7128-7/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE
controller and adjustable speed drives have been used
especially in manufacturing industries for the conveniences it
provide. These equipments are very sensitive equipment
especially to sag voltages. Imagine just because a small power
quality problem, production will be halted and million of
dollars will be lost.
Despite the increasing of non-linear circuits, power
systems faults have been the vast contribution of power
quality problems. When dealing with power quality problems,
the main concern is to protect consumer and utilities electrical
equipment. The voltage propagation and travelling through
transformers from all voltage level plays a crucial role not
only to protect the consumer’s equipment but to ensure the
quality of power supplied from the utilities is met with the
regulation from the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC).
Voltage sag is a common power quality problem that
always occurred in power system network. Due to the
awareness developed from time to time, consumers and
utilities have become concerned with the inconvenience
caused by voltage sag. Voltage sags can generally be
characterized by sag magnitude, duration and frequency [3]. A
power system fault is a typical cause of voltage sag [4]. Other
causes of voltage sag includes of starting of large induction
motor, transformer energizing and load changes.
The behaviour of voltage sag in embedded generation in
distribution networks is discussed in [5, 6]. The study of faults
that occurring in transmission (EHV), subtransmission (HV)
medium-voltage (MV), low-voltage (LV) systems and the
voltage sags propagate through out the power system can be
seen in [7] and is being concentrated as the frequency of
voltage sag occurrences. Authors in [8] discussed in detailed
the sag propagation characteristics in medium voltage busbar.
Voltage sag is a serious power quality problem such that it can
propagates through transformer to all distribution networks. In
the end, sag voltages will propagates and travel to the
consumers. Consumers are usually connected to the LV side
except for consumers that require a large amount of power but
fault will always occur at all voltage levels.
Voltage sags that are caused by symmetrical three-phase
faults propagate without changes through transformers. In the
case of unsymmetrical faults, however, the transformer
connections have a strong effect [9]. Moreover the
propagation of voltage sag through transformer that is caused
by transmission fault is dependent on the location of voltage
source of the transmission system. Furthermore, mitigation
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The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf. (PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010

steps can be taken to prevent unnecessary effect from the sag
voltage.
Besides the study of the characteristics and the
propagation of voltage sag , various research have been done
in recognizing, characterizing, detecting and classifying
power quality problems. It is intended to identify the power
quality events that occur in the distribution system. Wavelet
transform have been used as a tool in developing power
quality signatures in [10]. Fuzzy logic method in [11] is being
introduced to perform automatic classification of power
quality event. Deviation of energy curves through
multiresolution analysis is discussed in [12]. The main feature
of this research however does not concentrate to the
recognition of power quality problems where, it is being
concentrated in the propagation of the voltage sags in
distribution network.
Thus the objectives of this study are to model electrical
distribution network and observe voltage sag propagation
through distribution network. By observing the simulated
voltage sag propagation, an empirical rule can be developed
later to monitor the propagation of voltage sag at every level
of distribution network on the consumer side. These objectives
is hope to contribute to the utilities in improving the existing
power quality monitoring system, and it is hope to develop a
better understanding on voltage sag propagations.
will be recorded to establish an empirical rule later. The
methodology of this project can be simplified by the flowchart
in Figure 1.
In order to investigate the voltage sag propagation in this
paper, a simple single line diagram test system was modeled
as in Figure 2. As mentioned before, the transformer
connections play an important role for the propagation of
sagged voltages. Transformers connections in the test system
are being modeled as accurate as possible with the transformer
connections that are being used by the utilities. All
transformers are being assumed ideal. G1 is a generator
producing 11.5kV. the voltage level at B1, B2, B3 and B4 are
275kV or 132kV, 33kV, 11kV and 0.415kV respectively. The
voltage (11.5/132kV), (132/33kV), (33/11kV) and
(11/0.415kV) are the primary and secondary voltages for TX1,
TX2, TX3 and TX4 respectively. The transformers
connections are being described in Table 1. In the vector
group of the transformer configurations, capital letter
represents the high voltage winding and small letter represents
the low voltage winding. 1 and 11 represents the phase shift in
between high voltage and low voltage angle where 1 is -300
and 11 is +300 .

II. METHODOLOGY
The electricity distribution for consumer starts from the
generation of electricity at large power plants. The voltage
produced is 11.5kV depending on the capability of the
generator. The voltage level will be step up to 275KV and sent
through long transmission lines and later step down to 132KV.
These voltage levels will further step down to 33KV, 11KV
and finally to 415V. This is the amount of voltage that will be
delivered to consumer.
The process of distribution and step down of voltages
involves overhead transmission lines and transformers. Fault
can occur at any voltage level. There are a lot of possibilities
of fault occur on transmission lines due to insulation failure,
flashover, physical damage or human error. When a power
system faults occur at a specific bus, voltage sag will occur at
the neighbouring bus. Voltage sag can propagates and travel to
transformers through transmission lines through out all the
distribution system. It is important to monitor the propagation
of the sag voltage to ensure that the sag voltage will not bring
any harm to both parties i.e. utilities and consumer. Not all
feeders being installed with monitoring equipments. The
monitoring equipments were installed at strategic places where Fig 1. Flowchart of the proposed methodology
utilities think that have the worst severity at 33/11kV feeders
only. As installing metering equipment and waveform
recorders would lead to huge increased costs, alternative
method to monitor the propagation of voltage sag should be
establish. In this paper, simulation of power system fault will
be carried out by using PSCAD/EMTDC. Results of the
simulation will then be compared with samples from recorded
event taken from utilities monitoring equipment. Types of
fault will be determined from the simulation and the findings

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The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf. (PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010

In the test system single line diagram, the system grounding III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
is being implemented in all of the transformer connection. The The simulation faulted results presented was single line to
transformers are being grounded at the Y connection. In this ground fault. Simulation results shown here are results that
paper, consumers are being assumed to be connected at simulated with and without fault in the test system. The
0.415kV. For TX1 and TX2, the Y winding of the transformer simulation results are compared with the recorded event from
is being solidly grounded. utilities 33/11 kV monitoring equipment to later develop an
The Y winding of TX3 and TX4 meanwhile is being empirical rule of voltage sag propagation.
grounded through a resistor. The resistor that is being used for
this grounding purpose is called Neutral Earthing Resistor A. Case I
(NER). The basic purpose of the NER is to protect the Figure 4-7 show the simulation results without any faults
transformer from damaging and hazardous fault currents by at the test system. Figure 10-13 shows the simulation results
limiting the fault current to be equaled to the transformer’s after single line to ground fault being applied behind TX2
capacity or the transformer’s full load current. Fault event (132/33kV) transformer. The Y and X axis represent the RMS
will be simulated in one of the buses in order to create a voltage and time respectively except for Figure 8-11 the Y
voltage sag event In this test system, transmission lines is not axis represents the instantaneous voltage. In Figure 9, the
included because the aim is to investigate the effect of measured voltage is the voltage at the faulted point. As can be
transformer configurations, transformer grounding with seen, when a single line to fault occurs, the voltage at the
respect to sagged voltage after fault events. Figure 3 shows the faulted phase was reduced to zero and the other two phases
test system that simulated without and with fault events using will increase. The voltage at the faulted phase might not turn
PSCAD/EMTDC respectively. to zero as the real event from utilities recorded event shows
that a faulted phase is sagged when a single line to ground
TABLE I occurred as can be seen in Figure 12. Figure 12 shows
TRANSFORMER CONFIGURATIONS FOR captured single line to ground fault event at 33/11 kV feeder
SINGLE LINE DIAGRAM TEST SYSTEM monitoring equipment by the utilities at certain date. Figure 11
and 12 shows the voltage that is being measured behind TX 3
Transformer Vector Impedance NER
and TX 4 (33/11 kV) and (11/0.415kV) respectively. The one
Group (%) (Ω) phase sagged and two phases swells disappeared and after
TX1 YNd1 12 - traveling to Dyn11 NER grounded transformer connections.
TX2 YNd1 7.5 - Table II shows the value for this situation. The propagated
TX3 Dyn11 10 8 voltage from the fault event shows that the deviated RMS
magnitude is very minuscule and consumers that are
TX4 Dyn11 10 8
connected at the 0.415kV measured at Vnode8 may not being
harmed by it.
B1 B2 B3 B4
Vnode2
125
100
Instantaneous Voltage (kV)

75
50
25
G1 TX 1 TX 2 TX 3 TX 4 L1 0
-25
-50
Fig 2. Single line diagram of test system -75
-100
-125
0.2250 0.2300 0.2350 0.2400 0.2450 0.2500 0.2550 0.2600
Time (ms)
#1 #2 #1 #2
Vnode1 Vnode2 Vnode4
Fig 4. Voltage without fault event at Vnode2 simulated in
PSCAD/EMTDC
BRK

FType Vnode4
30

FLT1 20
Instantaneous Voltage (kV)

10

1.0 [ohm ] 0

#1 #2 #1 #2 -10
Vnode6 Vnode8 1.0 [ohm ]
-20
8.0 [ohm]

8.0 [ohm]

1.0 [ohm ]
-30
0.2350 0.2400 0.2450 0.2500 0.2550 0.2600 0.2650 0.2700 0.2750
Time (ms)

Fig 3. Single line diagram of test system with fault event that are being Fig 5. Voltage without fault event at Vnode4 simulated in
simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC PSCAD/EMTDC

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The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf. (PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010

RMS Magnitude vs Time

Vnode6 Vnode6
10.0 6.342270
8.0 6.342260
Instantaneous Voltage (kV)

6.0 6.342250

RMS Magnitude (kV)

4.0 6.342240
2.0
6.342230
0.0
6.342220
-2.0
-4.0 6.342210

-6.0 6.342200
-8.0 6.342190
-10.0 6.342180
0.2150 0.2200 0.2250 0.2300 0.2350 0.2400 0.2450 0.2500 0.2550 0.2600 0.950 0.975 1.000 1.025 1.050 1.075 1.100 1.125
Time (ms) Time (ms)

Fig 6. Voltage without fault event at Vnode6 simulated in Fig 10. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode6 simulated in
PSCAD/EMTDC PSCAD/EMTDC
RMS Magnitude vs Time

Vnode8 Vnode8
0.40 0.2392765
0.2392760
0.30
0.2392755
Instantaneous Voltage (kV)

0.20

RMS Magnitude (kV)

0.2392750
0.10
0.2392745
0.00 0.2392740
-0.10 0.2392735
-0.20 0.2392730

-0.30 0.2392725

-0.40 0.2392720

0.1500 0.1550 0.1600 0.1650 0.1700 0.1750 0.1800 0.1850 0.1900 0.980 1.000 1.020 1.040 1.060 1.080 1.100

Time (ms) Time (ms)

Fig 7. Voltage without fault event at Vnode8 simulated in Fig 11. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode8 simulated in
PSCAD/EMTDC PSCAD/EMTDC
4
x 10
RMS Magnitude vs Time 3.5
Vnode2 Red Phase
Yellow Phase
76.1071
3 Blue Phase
76.1070
76.1069
RMS Magnitude (kV)

76.1068
2.5
76.1067
RMS Magnitude

76.1066
76.1065
2
76.1064
76.1063
76.1062
1.5
76.1061
0.950 0.975 1.000 1.025 1.050 1.075 1.100 1.125
Time (ms) 1

Fig 8. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode2 simulated in

0.5
PSCAD/EMTDC 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time(milli seconds)
RMS Magnitude vs Time
Vnode4
35.0 Fig 12. Sample from utilities fault event recorded data in
30.0 33/11kV feeder
25.0
RMS Magnitude (kV)

20.0
TABLE II
MAGNITUDE OF RMS VOLTAGE MEASURED BEHIND TRANSFORMER
15.0

10.0
Phase Vnode2 Vnode4 Vnode6 Vnode8
5.0
(kV) (kV) (kV) (kV)
0.0
R 76.1062 0.0007 6.3421 0.2392
0.950 0.975 1.000 1.025 1.050 1.075 1.100 1.125
Time (ms) Y 76.1070 32.9549 6.3422 0.2392
B 76.1062 32.9549 6.3421 0.2392
Fig 9. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode4 simulated in
PSCAD/EMTDC

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The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf. (PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010

B. Case II sagged and two phases was swelled but the fault will be
When fault is simulated behind TX1 YNd1 (11.5/132 kV) normalized after the propagation through TX4 Dyn11. This
and TX2 winding have been interchanged to Dyn1 one phase situation is shown in Figure 15 and 16. The value in Table IV
was reduced to zero and two other phases were sagged. The again shows that consumer may not be affected by the sagged
voltage that propagated through TX4 Dyn11 (11/0.415kV) voltage as the reading shows that the deviated RMS voltage is
changes and the voltage at the faulted phase has been restored very minuscule.
to normal but the other two phases remain sagged. Figure 13
RMS Magnitude vs Time
and Figure 14 depicts this situation. The value in Table III Vnode2
140
figures depicts that consumer might affected by Sagged
120
voltage as there is a high deviated of RMS magnitude
100

RMS Magnitude (kV)

measured at Vnode8.
80

RMS Magnitude vs Time 60

Vnode2 40
80
70 20
60 0
RMS Magnitude (kV)

50 0.950 1.000 1.050 1.100 1.150 1.200

40 Time (ms)
30
20 Fig 15. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode2 simulated in
10 PSCAD/EMTDC
0
0.950 1.000 1.050 1.100 1.150 1.200 RMS Magnitude vs Time
Time (ms) Vnode8

0.239150
Fig 13. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode2 simulated in
RMS Magnitude (kV)

PSCAD/EMTDC 0.239140
RMS Magnitude vs Time
Vnode8 0.239130
0.260
0.240 0.239120
0.220
RMS Magnitude (kV)

0.239110
0.200
0.960 0.980 1.000 1.020 1.040 1.060 1.080 1.100
0.180
Time (ms)
0.160
0.140
Fig 16. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode8 simulated in
0.120
PSCAD/EMTDC
0.100
0.980 1.000 1.020 1.040 1.060 1.080 1.100 1.120
Time (ms) TABLE IV
MAGNITUDE OF RMS VOLTAGE MEASURED BEHIND TRANSFORMER

Fig 14. Voltage (rms) after fault event at Vnode8 simulated in Phase Vnode2 Vnode4 Vnode6 Vnode8
PSCAD/EMTDC (kV) (kV) (kV) (kV)
R 0.0002 19.0136 6.3387 0.2391
TABLE III
MAGNITUDE OF RMS VOLTAGE MEASURED BEHIND TRANSFORMER
Y 131.7034 19.0173 6.3387 0.2391
B 131.7034 19.0136 6.3374 0.2391
Phase Vnode2 Vnode4 Vnode6 Vnode8
(kV) (kV) (kV) (kV) IV. CONCLUSIONS
R 0.0008 9.5097 5.4901 0.2391 The transformer connection and configuration have a
Y 65.7806 19.0174 5.4896 0.1195 crucial role where it gave an impact to the propagation of
B 65.8577 9.5076 0.0008 0.1195 sagged voltage. It can be seen that when a single line to
ground fault event occurs, one phase will sagged and two
C. Case III phases will swelled and the transformer connection Dyn11
NER grounding can automatically mitigates the problems.
TX1 winding in case II are being interchanged, to Dyn1, Consumers that are connected to 0.415 kV will not be affected
the faulted voltage have been mitigated and was restored back by the fault event as the transformer connections have
to normal. The test system have been added a transformer mitigated the disturbances. Although certain consumer
(11.5/275kV) as a generator step-up transformer YNd1 and the especially industrial consumer require a large power ratings
single line to fault have been simulated behind TX1 which the take their supply side from 33/11 kV level, they will not
winding voltage have been changed to 275/132kV and the suffered from the fault event if their loads are connected
winding have been interchanged to YNd1. The simulation of through transformer Dyn11 NER grounding transformer
single line to ground fault shows the same results one phase is connections. Sensitive equipments will not be affected from

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The 4th International Power Engineering and Optimization Conf. (PEOCO2010), Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA: 23-24 June 2010
the severity of the event. Through transformer connections,
the voltage sag propagation can be predicted with empirical
rule through continuous observations. As installing monitoring
equipment could dramatically increase cost, alternative
approach such as developing empirical rule can overcome this
hassle. By having a proper monitoring method, voltage sag
propagation that can cause variety of problems can be
apprehending.
V. REFERENCES
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Quality. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
[2] "IEEE Std. 1159-1995," IEEE Recommended Practise for
Monitoring Electric Power Quality, June 1995.
[3] M. H. J. Bollen, Understanding Power Quality Problems, in
Voltage Sags and Interruptions: IEEE Press, 1999.
[4] "IEEE Std 1250-1995," IEEE Guide for Services to Equipment
Sensitive to Momentary Voltage Disturbances, Mar 1995.
429
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[5] R. Gnativ and J. V. Milanovic, "Voltage sag propagation in
systems with embedded generation and induction motors,"
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[6] E. Y. Ahmet Serdar Yilmaz, "Behaviour of Embedded Generation
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Journals, 2009.
[7] M. L. Pirjo Heine, "Voltage Sag Distributions Caused by Power
System Faults," IEE Transaction On Power System, vol. 18, 2003.
[8] J. Xu, R. V. Annamraju, and V. Rajagopalan, "Propagation
characteristics of sag and harmonics in medium voltage
distribution systems," presented at Power Engineering Society
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[9] D. P. K. I. J. Nagrath, Modern Power System Analysis, 2nd Edition
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[10] J. W. Resende, Chaves, M.L.R, Penna,C., "Identification of Power
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[11] T. K. S. Alok Thapar, Zhao Yang Dong, "Investigation Of Power
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