Optimal distribution network planning with stochastic assessment of voltage dips

Voltage dips are one of the major power quality concerns that customers and distributors have to face. Furthermore, the foreseen evolution of distribution networks, the impact of liberalized energy market and the diffusion of sensitive loads will increase the importance of predictive assessment of voltage dips. Considering that voltage dips are strongly dependent on network topology, in the paper the stochastic assessment of voltage dips has been implemented into a software package for the optimal network planning so that the research of the optimal network evolution is guided by power quality constraints. Some examples of application to a real world case study complete the paper, showing the impact of voltage dips in network planning.