Purchase cost based reconfiguration of distribution system under varying loads and renewable generation

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Optimal reconfiguration of distribution system is complex process and thus demands high computing power and time. In a competitive market for a distribution system with multiple feeders owned by multiple agencies, the cost of purchasing power for each of those feeds are often different from one another. In such case, reconfiguration of distribution system, exclusively on the basis of loss minimization may not be appropriate. Furthermore, increasing solar PV generation (SPVG) integration is posing new type of operational challenges due to its sudden and high variability. Hence, the conventional approaches of hourly stepwise load curve discretization may not be cost-effective for feeder reconfiguration exercise. In view of these twin objectives, a novel heuristic strategy is proposed for minimizing costs using a two-stage process that takes into account sensitivity. The primary objective of the proposed approach is to reduce the computing load associated with the exercise, while also incorporating the variability of loads and renewable energy sources. This has been achieved without significantly increasing the computational workload, by employing a reconfiguration strategy that best aligns with the specific hour under consideration, which is further divided into four subintervals of fifteen minutes each. Moreover, despite the high variability, the frequency of reconfiguration is not increased in order to extend the lifetime of the gear switches. To show the efficacy of the proposed approach, simulation results for two distinct test systems have been obtained.