Automatic scheduling method using tabu search for maintenance outage tasks of transmission and substation system with network constraints

A new method has been developed for automatic scheduling of outage tasks in power systems using tabu search, a combinatorial optimization and the fastest search method. The scheduling method includes feasible configuration and optimum schedule search functions. First a network configuration is found without violation of power flow constraints by switching. Switched branches are memorized in the tabu list to prohibit backtracking to the same configuration. Second, the best start date is assigned to each task through two stages. A rough scheduling is made on work combination constraints, then a detailed scheduling is made on work combination constraints and power flow constraints. The developed method has been applied to a realistic monthly schedule with 61 outage tasks. The feasible 60 configurations and the optimum schedule were automatically generated which satisfied all the constraints. Numerical results suggested the developed method is a practical maintenance schedule optimization tool.