Dr. Tapan Manna, PE, PMP, SMIEEE, PESDL of Burns & McDonnell

Modern power grids are facing increasing challenges due to rising electricity demand and the integration of renewable energy sources. Without effective power flow control, transmission lines can experience congestion, leading to inefficiencies and reduced grid reliability. Phase-shifting transformers (PSTs) play a crucial role in mitigating these issues by actively regulating power flow and balancing load distribution across parallel transmission lines.

This session will delve into the principles of active power flow control and the essential role of PSTs in improving grid efficiency. Attendees will learn key design considerations, fundamental parameters, and circuit arrangements that define PST performance. The discussion will also explore real-world applications, operational strategies—including advance and retard modes—and their impact on optimizing transmission capacity.

By the end of this session, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of how PSTs enhance grid stability, reduce congestion, and improve overall loadability. This presentation is particularly valuable for professionals interested in active power flow optimization, transmission network management, and advanced control and reliability solutions.

Biography:

Dr. Tapan Manna is a Technical Consultant at Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, with over 30 years of experience in the power industry and academia. He has been with Burns since 2009, following previous roles at URS (now AECOM), Black & Veatch, and Tennessee Tech University. Before moving to the U.S., he spent a decade working with CESC and WBPDCL, two major utilities in eastern India.
Dr. Manna earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University in 2006. His expertise and interests include power system protection, high-voltage (HV) and extra-high-voltage (EHV) power apparatus, HVDC and FACTS, 765kV systems, grounding, lightning transients, geomagnetic disturbances (GMD), harmonics, and electromagnetic pulse (EMP). He has delivered over 50 technical presentations on T&D applications.
A licensed Professional Engineer (PE), Project Management Professional (PMP), Chartered Engineer, and Senior IEEE Member, Dr. Manna has actively contributed to more than 20 IEEE-PES and CIGRE working groups and has authored numerous technical papers, articles, and standards. His contributions at Burns & McDonnell have been recognized with several prestigious honors, including the 2019 Keith W. Jeffers Technical Excellence Award and the 2023 Blue Quill Hall of Fame Award.
Dr. Manna is passionate about advancing the power industry and collaborating with fellow professionals to drive meaningful impact.

Kalyan K. Sen, PhD, PE, MBA, IEEE Life Fellow of Sen Engineering Solutions, Inc.

The growing demand for efficient and cost-effective bulk power transfer has made power flow control a critical aspect of modern grid operations. While building new transmission lines is a possible solution, it is often time-consuming and expensive. A more practical approach is to optimize the utilization of existing transmission infrastructure.
Power flow control in transmission lines has evolved over decades, with advancements such as the Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC). The latest innovation, the Sen Transformer, offers an independent and cost-efficient method to regulate both active and reactive power flow. This session will explore:

• Fundamental principles of power flow control
• A comparative overview of commonly used power flow controllers, including their advantages and limitations
• Future trends include power electronics-based Unified Power Flow Controllers and transformer-based solutions like the Sen Transformer.

Attendees will gain insights from a leading expert who has been pivotal in designing and commissioning power electronics-based Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) controllers since their inception in the 1990s. The session will also feature real-world results from the first commercial-grade Sen Transformer, which successfully controlled power flow in a 33 kV transmission line.

Biography:

Dr. Kalyan K. Sen is Sen Engineering Solutions, Inc.'s President and Chief Technology Officer, specializing in developing SMART power flow controllers—functional requirement-based, cost-effective solutions for modern power grids.
With over 33 years of experience in academia and industry, Dr. Sen was a key member of the Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) development team at Westinghouse Science & Technology Center, where he earned the title of Westinghouse Fellow Engineer. His contributions span concept development, simulation, design, and commissioning of FACTS projects. His pioneering work in power flow control technology led to his elevation to IEEE Fellow, recognized for "the development and application of power flow control technology." He is also the Co-inventor of the Sen Transformer, a commercially available solution that regulates ±6.5 MVA line power in a 33 kV network.
Dr. Sen holds a BEE, MSEE, PhD in Electrical Engineering, and an MBA. He is a licensed professional engineer from Pennsylvania and New York. He has authored or co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications, eight patents, two books, and three book chapters on power flow control and power electronics.
Since 2002, Dr. Sen has served as an IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) Distinguished Lecturer, delivering over 200 presentations in 20 countries on power flow control technology. He also serves on the IEEE Board of Governors for the Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) as Life Members Chair. He is the Professional Activities Chair for IEEE Region 2.