A Unified Approach to Improve Reliability and Resiliency within Electricity Distribution System via Optimal Switch Placement

In today's world, power outages significantly impact people's lives. Improving the reliability and resiliency of the electricity distribution system (EDS) can significantly reduce the negative impact of power outages. In this regard, remote control switches (RCSs) are efficient devices that play a crucial role in enhancing the reliability and resiliency of EDSs. However, the challenge lies in strategically placing these switches to minimize power outages. This paper proposes a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation for the optimal allocation of RCSs. It considers load uncertainties and aims to enhance reliability under typical circumstances while reinforcing resiliency during extreme conditions. The formulation also considers two specific resilience criteria: the duration of interruptions experienced by customers and the total interruption cost incurred by all affected customers in the aftermath of disasters. A system is considered more resilient if individual customers experience fewer power interruptions during disasters. The formulation is rigorously assessed through its implementation on bus four of the Roy Billinton test system (RBTS4), and the outputs demonstrate that the proposed method improves both reliability and resiliency indices. Finally, this paper concludes with technical and economic comparative analyses that examine the effect of changing various parameters.