Skeleton-Network Reconfiguration Based on Topological Characteristics of Scale-Free Networks and Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization

Black start, the restoration of a power system after a complete blackout, is a key issue to the safety of power systems. The reasonable network reconfiguration is necessary for establishing the main network and restoring loads quickly. Based on topological characteristics of scale-free networks and discrete particle swarm optimization, a skeleton-network reconfiguration strategy is proposed in this paper. Through calculating node importance degrees, priorities of sources and loads could be scaled quantitatively. Then, network reconfiguration efficiency, an index represented by network structure and subjected to restoration constrains, is used to evaluate the reconfiguration effect. Furthermore, discrete particle swarm optimization is employed in reconstructing skeleton networks that relieve reconfiguration burden considerably. Application examples verify that several optimal reconfiguration schemes achieved from the strategy can provide dispatchers an effective decision support under the uncertain system situation.