Load growth in distribution system increase steadily. This load growth is followed by increased demand for reactive power supply due to increasing load is inductive. If a network does not have a reactive power source in around load area then all the needs of reactive load borne by the generator so that reactive current will flow to the network resulting in decreased power factor, voltage drop, and power losses. One way to improve power factor and voltage is placing the optimal capacitor value in the right location and strategic.
In this final project, the optimal capacitor placement is using genetic algorithm. Genetic algorithm is one of the computational techniques that match with very large solution space. Parameters used for the objective function in genetic algorithms is the cost of capacitor installation, the purchase cost of the capacitor, the cost of capacitor operation and maintenance, and the cost of power losses in the distribution system. By minimizing this parameters, it will get the minimum cost in the optimal capacitor values placement and meet the limits of the voltage magnitude and power factor that are determined.
Test results showed that the capacitor placement optimization using genetic algorithm can find the optimal size of capacitor banks so that the power factor and voltage on each bus has met limits that have been determined after the placement of the capacitor (Vmin = 0.95, Vmax = 1.05, and PFmin = 0.85). In testing the voltage improvement, the location of optimal capacitor placement is bus 18 and bus 30 with the number of capacitors that are installed 1200 kVar (4 banks) and saving 47.296,970 $. In testing the power factor improvement, the location of optimal capacitor placement is bus 4, bus 11, bus 13, bus 17, bus 30 and bus 33 with the number of capacitors that are installed 2100 kVar (7 banks) and saving 19.859,439 $. In testing the power factor and voltage improvement, the location of optimal capacitor placement is bus 4, bus 11, bus 13, bus 17, bus 30 and bus 33 with the number of capacitors that are installed 2100 kVar (7 banks) and saving 19.859,444 $.
Keyword : capacitor, genetic algorithm, power factor, and voltage