Network reconfiguration analysis with the consideration of distributed generation

Abstract

Network reconfiguration is a combinatorial optimization problem that can be used to reduce power losses in distribution systems while satisfying all operating constraints. Distribution systems are greatly impacted by the increasing integration of distributed generation (DG) resources and thus it is necessary to develop methods that can quantify the effects of DG on network reconfiguration. This paper first introduces an efficient methodology to reconfigure distribution systems to minimize power losses, and analyzes the effects of DG on the reconfiguration problems, then discusses how to take advantage of distributed generation to improve distribution system reconfiguration.