Network Reconfiguration and Distributed Generators Allocation and Sizing Using Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms

The increment of losses can increase the operating costs and degrade the quality of power network distribution. The integration of renewable energy sources based on Distributed Generators (DGs) is one of the tools that can be used to operate distribution networks efficiently and have several technical benefits in distribution systems. However, these benefits require their installation in the proper locations with suitable sizes. Another approach that can be used to ensure efficient network operation is the network reconfiguration. The network reconfiguration is regarded as an operational approach for minimizing power losses. Thus, in this paper, two multi-objective optimization methods are used to reconfigure the distribution system and simultaneously allocate and size DGs to reduce power losses and investment costs, while respecting the operational constraints of the system. In this study, the adopted optimization methods were the Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II and Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm 2. The IEEE 33-bus and 69-bus test networks were used to evaluate the proposed methodology.