Modern power systems increasingly rely on renewable energy sources, creating new challenges for grid stability and reliability. Static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs) offer an attractive solution due to their fast reactive current injection and flexible dynamic controllability. However, compared to synchronous condensers, converter-based STATCOMs are often limited in their short-term overload and transient current capabilities.

The PEARL project aims to develop intelligent, reliability-aware control and modulation strategies that explicitly account for the physical limitations of modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based STATCOMs. By exploiting the available electrical and thermal margins, the goal is to increase short-term current support during grid disturbances while ensuring safe operation and long-term reliability.