Multi-objective network reconfiguration in balanced distribution systems with variable demand

This paper presents a simple and efficient multi-objective reconfiguration approach for balanced distribution networks. Two types of power quality indicators are minimized: (i) power losses and (ii) average system interruption frequency. The proposed approach starts with meshed networks by closing all tie switches. Three switching indices were defined for reconfiguration using branch failure rates and apparent power flow in lines. The radial configuration was restored by opening the switch with the highest switching index in each loop subjected to system operational constraints. The time varying nature of loads through using daily load profiles in each node of the system was considered. The results concluded the effectiveness of the fixed configuration compared to hourly reconfiguration in terms of energy losses and number of switching operations. The proposed method has been tested on two systems and compared with those reported in the literature.