A Heuristic Meter Placement Method for Load Estimation

A heuristic method of optimal meter placement for load estimation in distribution systems is presented in this paper. The approach can be used to efficiently find the meter location candidates for load estimation. The meter placement method presented in this paper has a two-stage approach. In the first stage, meters are placed using a heuristic method. In the second stage, the confidence interval is calculated to determine if the meters give satisfactory results when loads vary between the maximum and minimum. Sample system analysis and testing results show the approach is efficient for finding tentative meter locations. Real application constraints such as meter failure backup, availability of space, automated switch locations, and unbalanced systems are also considered. The meter placement method for load estimation can be easily extended to place meters for circuit state estimation.