Minimum loss reconfiguration of electrical distribution networks with quality requirements

This paper deals with the problem of minimizing the losses of electrical distribution systems, in the presence of power generator nodes in a smart-grid paradigm and by considering service quality requirements. The distribution network is modeled as a graph where nodes are the distribution network nodes and branches represent feeder sections. Moreover, the distribution network reconfiguration problem is solved by a mixed-integer quadratic programming and a multi-objective Pareto approach in two stages. First, a mixed-integer quadratic programming problem is defined in order to find a radial operating structure that minimizes the system power losses while satisfying structural and operating constraints. Second, a service quality index is assigned to each solution obtained at the first stage and a Pareto frontier is determined. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a benchmark distribution network is tested.