Two-stage heuristic methodology for optimal reconfiguration and Volt/VAr control in the operation of electrical distribution systems

• Published in: IET generation, transmission & distribution Vol. 11; no. 16; pp. 3946 - 3954
• Main Authors: Gutiérrez-Alcaraz, Guillermo, Tovar-Hernández, José H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 09.11.2017
• Subjects: binary particle swarm optimisation; distribution network; electrical distribution losses; electrical distribution systems; electricity losses; network reconfiguration; optimal power flow algorithm; optimal reconfiguration; particle swarm optimisation; power distribution control; Research Article; smart grid technology; smart power grids; switching capacitors; Taiwan Power Company; two‐stage heuristic methodology; Volt/VAr control; voltage control; power distribution control; particle swarm optimisation; electrical distribution systems; smart power grids; two-stage heuristic methodology; network reconfiguration; optimal power flow algorithm; smart grid technology; electrical distribution losses; optimal reconfiguration; Taiwan Power Company; Volt/VAr control; binary particle swarm optimisation; distribution network; electricity losses; switching capacitors; voltage control
• ISSN: 1751-8687; 1751-8695; 1751-8695
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2016.1870

The availability of smart grid technology makes it more feasible to use optimal reconfiguration and Volt/VAr control strategies for minimising electricity losses in distribution systems. This study presents a two-stage heuristic method to calculate the optimal impact of network reconfiguration and switching of already-installed capacitors over electrical distribution losses. The two-stage method searches first for a set of reduced feasible reconfigurations with less losses via a binary particle swarm optimisation and an optimal power flow algorithm, and then performs a Volt/VAr control for each feasible reconfiguration by switching capacitors, until reaching negligible changes in losses. Numerical examples and a test case considering a practical distribution network of the Taiwan Power Company demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.