Optimal placement of distribution transformers in radial distribution system

Abstract

The global electricity industry is facing many challenges that require immediate attention towards growth, expansion and energy management Most of the electricity supply companies are facing shortfall of availability of electrical energy. Therefore to make up for the shortfall of the electrical energy availability, reducing losses and hence saving energy becomes the first and foremost important step as a part of demand side management. Application of smart grid technologies is one of the key tools in solving the problems faced by electricity industry. In this direction determination of optimal location of the distribution transformer is an important issue to be addressed. The electricity supply companies do not seem to use any proved method to find the optimal location of the distribution transformer. Moreover in many cases distribution transformers can not be placed in the optimal position due to socio-political and economical considerations which will result in higher losses. In the present work an attempt has been made to find the optimal location of a distribution transformer based upon the minimum peak power loss and minimum voltage regulation using MiPower software and the result obtained has been compared with the node elimination method and the results are found to be encouraging with respect to theoretically calculated values.