Energy efficient reconfiguration for practical load combinations in distribution systems

Practically, loads are found to be voltage dependent and reconfiguration in distribution systems changes the node voltage profile. Hence reconfiguration affects the load behaviour. In this scenario, the traditional approach of defining energy efficient operation as mere loss minimisation does not give truly energy efficient results. Therefore this study defines energy efficiency as a multi-variable function in terms of energy efficiency defining parameters and develops an energy efficiency performance index, in order to identify an energy efficient configuration. The proposed approach of reconfiguration gives more flexibility to utilities in operating the distribution system with improved power quality and reliability, and enables them to actively participate in a competitive deregulated environment. In this study, voltage dependent loads are modelled in the form of load combinations to represent the real world loads at a bulk delivery point of the distribution system.