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VARs are typically considered to be positive or negative depending on whether they are Lagging or Leading, respectively, When 0 VARs

are "flowing", that is considered to be unity power factor (1.0). (VARs and power factor are related.) When the excitation of a synchronous generator is is such that the generator terminal voltage is equal to the bus voltage of the grid, then the power factor is 1.0 (unity) and there are 0 VARs "flowing." When the excitation of a synchronous generator is such that the generator terminal voltage is "higher" than the bus voltage of the grid, then the power factor of the generator will be lagging (and considered to be positive). This condition is also sometimes referred to as "boosting" the grid voltage, because the synchronous generator is trying to increase the bus voltage of the grid. Depending on the grid, this can be a large or a small effect on grid voltage. To cause the synchronous generator's terminal voltage to be "higher" than the bus voltage of the grid the excitation must be increased. Increasing the excitation causes more DC current to flow in the fiend (rotor) windings; more current means more heat. Heat must be removed; the rotor windings can only tolerate so much heat before the rotor winding insulation is damaged. Increasing the excitation consumes power; that's power that can't be sold. When the excitation of a synchronous generator is such that the generator terminal voltage is "lower" than the bus voltage of the grid, then the power factor of the generator will be Leading (and considered to be negative). This condition is also sometimes referred to as "bucking" the grid voltage, because the synchronous generator is trying to decrease the bus voltage of the grid. Depending on the grid, this can be a large or a small effect on grid voltage. To cause the synchronous generator's terminal voltage to be "lower" than the bus voltage of the grid the excitation must be decreased. Decreasing the excitation causes a distortion in the rotating magnetic field of the rotor, which allows uneven stator winding flux (magnetic) distributions which leads to concentrated heating in the stator end-iron. (There are "two" magnetic fields in a synchronous generator: the rotor's and the stator's.) Heat causes problems in many ways, including winding insulation degradation and expansion. Heat must be removed.

(From a generator's perspective, Lagging VArs "feed" a Lagging Load.) In addition to causing stator end-iron heating, decreasing the rotor magnetic strength can lead to a very catastrophic condition called "slipping a pole" which can cause serious mechanical damage to a generator, the coupling between the generator and its prime move, and the prime mover. MVArs are controlled with excitation. Lastly, MVArs reduce the ability of the generator to produce real power: watts. So, more positive- or more negative VArs (a lower Lagging- or Leading power factor) reduces the ability of the generator to produce watts, which is what most power plants get paid for, not for the VArs that they "produce" or "consume".

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