*Article* **Power Grid Dynamic Performance Enhancement via STATCOM Data-Driven Control**

**David Rivera 1, Daniel Guillen 1,\*, Jonathan C. Mayo-Maldonado 2, Jesus E. Valdez-Resendiz <sup>1</sup> and Gerardo Escobar <sup>1</sup>**


**Abstract:** This work proposes a data-driven approach to controlling the alternating current (AC) voltage via a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). This device offers a fast dynamic response injecting reactive power to compensate the voltage profile, not only during load variations but also depending on the operating point established by the grid. The proposed control scheme is designed to improve the dynamic grid performance according to the defined operating point into the grid. The mathematical fundamentals of the proposed control strategy are described according to a (model-free) data-driven-based controller. The robustness of the proposed scheme is proven with several tests carried out using Matlab/Simulink software. The analysis is performed with the well-known test power system of two areas, demonstrating that the proposed controller can enhance the dynamic performance under transient scenarios. As the main strength of the present work with respect to the current state-of-the-art, we highlight the fact that no prior knowledge of the system is required for the controller implementation, that is, a model or a system representation. The synthesis of the controller is obtained in a pure numerical way from data, while it can simultaneously ensure stability in a rigorous way, by satisfying Lyapunov conditions.

**Keywords:** data-driven control; reactive power compensation; STATCOM; voltage control; voltage source converter
