Robust Coordinated Optimization of Active and Reactive Power in Active Distribution Systems

Abstract

Active power dispatch and reactive power optimization problems are usually handled separately in active distribution systems, aiming at minimizing the total generation cost or transmission losses. However, the separate optimization cannot achieve a global optimum scheme in distribution system operations. Moreover, the significant relationship between the active power and reactive power may pose great challenges to distribution system operations due to the uncertain nature of load demands and intermittent renewable energy resources. In this paper, using the branch flow model-based relaxed optimal power flow, we formulate a robust coordinated optimization problem for active and reactive powers as a mixed integer second-order cone (SOC) programming problem. Furthermore, in order to address the uncertainties, a two-stage robust optimization model is proposed to coordinate the on load tap changer ratios, reactive power compensators, and charge–discharge power of energy storage system to find a robust optimal solution. Then the column-and-constraint generation algorithm is applied to solve the proposed robust two-stage optimization model. In the relaxed optimal power flow, a stricter cut is added to speed up the computation process of the SOC relaxation in order to guarantee the exactness for representative cases, such as those with high penetration of distributed energy resources. Numerical results based on the 33-bus and 69-bus systems verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.