The impact of the degradation of the critical current value of the HTS tape in a superconducting fault current limiter on the coordination of the power system protection

The dynamic technological development and the increasing demand for electrical energy needs mean power systems must modernize especially when integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES). Connecting new sources to medium-voltage (MV) networks leads to an increase in short-circuit power and fault current levels, which may pose a threat to technical infrastructure. One of the effective solutions for limiting fault currents is Superconducting Fault Current Limiters (SFCLs), which exploit the abrupt transition of superconducting materials into a resistive state. The key components of these devices are 2G HTS tapes, whose parameter stability, especially the critical current value, is crucial for their reliability and coordination with Power System Protection (PSP). This article analyses how the degradation of HTS tape parameters affects the coordination of PSP settings, which is essential for ensuring the selectivity and effectiveness of protection systems in MV networks.