A simple method for locating and sizing shunt capacitors in radial distribution systems

Distribution system losses account for a good percentage of energy losses in an electrical power system. The authors deal with the application of shunt capacitors for energy loss minimization in radial distribution systems. The objective function used for this purpose consists of the sum of the savings due to energy loss reduction and released capacity, less the cost of the capacitor itself. A simple search procedure has been adapted to find the location and size of the shunt capacitor which will maximize the net return. The applicability of the proposed technique is demonstrated by considering some practical distribution networks