Fault indicator placement in distribution systems: Improving the criteria of quality of service

Distribution utilities need to ensure fast fault location to improve the energy supply service, given that, in the event of an outage scenario, the service restoration process starts after the fault has been localized. Minimizing the time required for fault location leads to a reduction in the system average interruption duration index (SAIDI), a crucial metric that all utilities strive to meet. The use of fault indicators can facilitate the fault location process in distribution systems. The challenge lies in determining the optimal placement of these fault indicators to facilitate the fault location process effectively. This paper presents a metaheuristic-based framework that takes into account both commercial and operational criteria to optimize the placement of fault indicators in distribution systems. This tool considers essential practical factors to assist utilities in achieving minimal SAIDI by optimizing the allocation of fault indicators. The method is tested for a 135 -bus distribution feeder to verify its practicability. The numerical results demonstrate that the proposed methodology improves the expected SAIDI, leading to better energy supply service for customers.