Evolutionary programming based optimal power flow for units with non-smooth fuel cost functions

This article presents the solution of optimal power flow (OPF) problem of generator units with ramp rate limits and non-smooth fuel functions. In this article evolutionary programming (EP) algorithm is devoted to solve the OPF problem with non-smooth fuel cost functions like quadratic, piece-wise, valve point loading and combined cycle cogeneration plants. In the proposed EP algorithm, mutation is changing non-linearly with respect to the number of generations to avoid premature condition. The proposed EP algorithm is demonstrated to solve OPF problem for IEEE-30 bus system and Indian utility-62 bus system with line flow constraints. The line flows in MVA are computed directly from Newton Raphson method The test results prove that the EP method is simpler and more efficient for solving OPF problem with non-smooth fuel cost functions with many constraints.