Improved genetic algorithm for economic dispatch of power systems having special units

This paper presents an improved genetic algorithm with multiplier updating method (IGAMUM) to solve the power economic dispatch problem (PEDP), constrained by reserve and prohibited operating zones (POZ). A genetic algorithm (GA) equipped with the improved evolutionary direction operator (IEDO) and migration called the improved genetic algorithm (IGA) is proposed, which can efficiently search and explore solutions. The multiplier updating method (MUM) is introduced to avoid deforming the augmented Lagrange function and resulting in difficulty of solution searching. The proposed method combining with the IGA and the MUM can use a wide range of penalty parameters and a small population size in evolutionary computation. Two examples are investigated, and the computational results of the proposed method are compared with that of the previous methods.