Optimal reconfigurattion of distribution systems by considering switch and wind turbine placements to enhance reliability and efficiency

Reconfiguration and smart control of remote-controlled sectionalising switches in distribution networks are considered as the major solutions for loss mitigation, interruption time reduction and reliability improvement after events. That is because these automation tools bring about changes in the topology of the network, isolate the faulted regions, operate distributed generators for local load satisfaction and restore the un-faulted regions as rapidly as possible. Thus, a new solution methodology for solving the simultaneous optimal wind turbines (WTs)/switches placement as well as network reconfiguration is developed to enhance the distribution network's efficiency and reliability. Power losses, voltage deviation index, switch cost and reliability cost based on expected customer interruption cost are considered as the objective functions. The approach profits from a new multi-objective algorithm based on modified artificial bee colony for providing the best compromise solution. The presented framework is shown to provide superior results when applied to the IEEE 69-node test feeder. Finally, different scenarios based on feeder reconfiguration, switch placement and WT placement problems are constructed and presented in Section 5.