An Optimal Integrated Approach Considering Distribution System Reconfiguration and Protection Coordination

Distribution system reconfiguration (DSR) studies are gaining increased attention. DSR deals with minimizing the power loss by optimally reconfiguring the power system lines. However, the original protection coordination may not be valid for the reconfigured system. This paper presents an integrated approach that considers both distribution system reconfiguration and protection coordination. The DSR problem is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem to determine the optimal configuration. Meanwhile, the protection coordination problem is a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem to determine the Directional Overcurrent Relay (DOCR) settings. The methodology is tested on the 119-bus radial distribution test systems, considering different load and generation scenarios. The results show that the proposed protection scheme can ensure proper protection for reconfigurable distribution systems.