Determination of critical switches in distribution system

A methodology for determining the critical switches in a distribution system is presented. The daily load curves of various types of load customers are used in a three-phase load flow program. The program calculates the hourly current loading of distribution feeders and current flows through all line switches. The hourly optimal network configurations are solved to achieve balanced loading among feeders by minimizing the cost function of switching operations. The critical switches of the distribution system are then identified by investigating the hourly optimal switching operation patterns over a 24-hour period. A distribution system comprising nine distribution feeders in the Taiwan Power Company is selected for computer simulation. Results indicate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed methodology for the practical operation of distribution systems