Abstract In this paper, a novel hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Pattern Search (PS) optimized fuzzy PI controller is proposed for Automatic Generation Control (AGC) of multi area power systems. Initially a two area non-reheat thermal system is used and the gains of the fuzzy PI controller are optimized employing a hybrid PSO and PS (hPSO-PS) optimization technique. The superiority of the proposed fuzzy PI controller has been shown by comparing the results with Bacteria Foraging Optimization Algorithm (BFOA), Genetic Algorithm (GA), conventional Ziegler Nichols (ZN), Differential Evolution (DE) and hybrid BFOA and PSO based PI controllers for the same interconnected power system. Additionally, the proposed approach is further extended to multi source multi area hydro thermal power system with/without HVDC link. The superiority of the proposed approach is shown by comparing the results with some recently published approaches such as ZN tuned PI, Variable Structure System (VSS) based ZN tuned PI, GA tuned PI, VSS based GA tuned PI, Fuzzy Gain Scheduling (FGS) and VSS based FGS for the identical power systems. Further, sensitivity analysis is carried out which demonstrates the ability of the proposed approach to wide changes in system parameters, size and position of step load perturbation The proposed approach is also extended to a non-linear power system model by considering the effect of governor dead band non-linearity and the superiority of the proposed approach is shown by comparing the results of hybrid BFO-PSO and craziness based PSO approach for the identical interconnected power system. Finally, the study is extended to a three area system considering both thermal and hydro units with different controllers in each area and the results are compared with hybrid BFO-PSO and ANFIS approaches.