State Estimation Techniques for Electric Power Distribution Systems

This paper provides a survey of techniques for state estimation in electric power distribution systems. While state estimation has been applied in the monitoring and control of electricity transmission systems for several decades, it has not been widely implemented in distribution grids to date. However, with the recent drive towards more actively-managed, intelligent power distribution networks ("smart grids") and the improvements in monitoring and communications infrastructure, Distribution System State Estimation (DSSE) has been receiving significant research interest. DSSE presents a number of unique challenges due to the characteristics of distribution grids, and many of the well-established methods used in transmission systems cannot be applied directly. This paper provides a detailed survey of the available methods for DSSE, reviewing around 70 papers from the major journals. In addition, it discusses the potential for applying Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data and computational intelligence methods in DSSE.