Possibilities to Improve Reliability of Distribution Network by Intended Island Operation

This paper discusses the possibilities of improving reliability of distribution networks. The focus of this paper is to study the reliability impacts of intended island operation in distribution systems. In this study, traditional development actions on networks are explored to enable comparison of the effects of intended island operation. Intended island operation is executed by means of distributed generation units (DG) located in medium voltage (MV) or in low voltage (LV) side of the network. The impacts of intended island operation are examined in case studies using reliability analysis software by observing changes in distribution reliability indices and in outage costs. The case studies are examined in a test network, which is based on a real network consisting of one rural feeder. Different placement of DG unit and changing environmental aspects are considered. Network reliability analysis methods are discussed in this paper in general level.