Influence of load alterations to optimal network configuration for loss reduction

The paper investigates how load alterations in distribution systems influence optimal configurations for loss minimization. In the proposed methodology network reconfigurations are implemented utilizing heuristics techniques while load variations are simulated by stochastic procedures. For the examined topologies initial available load data are considered as mean values and new altered load values are produced using uniform distribution. Various scenarios examined are assumed to simulate actual load conditions in order to examine how load variability may change the optimal configuration derived from the initial mean load values. The proposed algorithm was applied in three well known distribution networks from published literature and to a real urban distribution network. The results indicate that for altered load conditions, groups of adjacent sectionalizing switches participate in all the configurations procedures. The work concludes that real management of the distribution networks for loss reduction could rely on a realistic approach which considers limited reconfigurations of the network, derived for the mean load values of the assumed time period. Divergences from optimal solutions are shown to be insignificant compared to the reduction of switching operations. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.