STRATEGIC ASSET MANAGEMENT IN MEDIUM-VOLTAGE NETWORKS WITH HIGH PHOTOVOLTAIC PENETRATION: A DECISION-SUPPORT MODEL FOR OVERVOLTAGE MITIGATION

Abstract

The expansion of distributed photovoltaic generation creates technical and managerial challenges for electricity distribution utilities, particularly in medium-voltage networks exposed to low demand and high solar generation. This article presents a decision-support framework for strategic asset management, using overvoltage mitigation by shunt reactors as an applied case. The study derives from a professional master's dissertation and uses 15-minute operational records collected over 365 days, descriptive analysis, power-flow simulation, and technical criteria for asset selection. Nine feeders were examined, and Feeder D was selected for detailed analysis because of its load attenuation under seasonal conditions. In the critical low-load scenario, maximum voltage reached 1.112 pu. Simulation of three three-phase 300 kVAr shunt reactors, totaling 900 kVAr, reduced maximum voltage to 1.019 pu, while minimum voltage changed from 0.994 pu to 0.992 pu. Based on these results, the article proposes a management cycle comprising data monitoring, diagnosis, risk and criticality assessment, technological selection, implementation and governance, and performance monitoring. The contribution is interdisciplinary because it connects electrical performance to asset prioritization, investment planning, technological innovation, and organizational learning. Economic feasibility and field implementation were not assessed and remain necessary steps before investment.