2016 China International Conference on Electricity Distribution (CICED 2016) Xi’an, 10-13 Aug, 2016
An Overview of Research on Affecting Factors of
Distribution Network Reliability
YANG Fan, Xu Jing, Zhang Zhang, Liu YingyingˈLIU Shuyong
(Economic Research Institute of Tianjin Electric Power Company, Tianjin 300171, China)
Abstract—Reliability is an important content for
the evaluation of distribution network’s power
supply capacity. With the increasing construction
of the distribution network, the continuous
developing of distribution automation technology
and the constantly emerging of distributed power
supply, the traditional reliability evaluation system
cannot satisfy the demand of distribution network
development. Considering the factors that affect
the distribution network reliability evaluation, the
state of distribution network reliability evaluation
is analyzed by grid structure, distribution
automation and distributed generation. Finally, the
problems to be further researched in future are
proposed. It can help with the establishing of
reliability evaluation system that adapt to
distribution network development.
Index Terms—distribution network reliability; grid
structure; distribution automation; distributed
generation
I. I NTRODUCTION
At present, distribution network reliability evaluation
mainly refers to static reliability evaluation that evaluates the
system’s ability to supply electric power to users. Although
the reliability evaluation system is more mature, and has an
important effect on evaluating and directing the distribution
network planning, it also exposes some shortcomings in
practice gradually. With the development of distribution
network structure, the promotion of distribution automation
and the large scale of distributed generation, more and more
factors affect the distribution network reliability. Traditional
reliability evaluation system can not take all these factors
into consideration. So dividing the factors that restrict
distribution network reliability and analyzing effects to
reliability evaluation results by different factors can help to
evaluate the levels of distribution network reliability, as well
as finding the weak link of distribution network. It is of great
significance to improve distribution network reliability level.
The factors that affect distribution network reliability
mainly include the grid structure, the equipment reliability,
the automation support, the operational maintenance, etc.
Based on the distribution network development status, this
paper analyzes the effects of grid structure,
distribution automation and distributed generation on
distribution network reliability. The problems in distribution
network reliability evaluation and the development direction
of the study in the future are proposed.
II. GRID STRUCTURE
Grid structure is the key factor that affects distribution
network reliability. Building a high reliability distribution
network is based on a reasonable and strong grid structure.
In recent years, the structure of distribution network has
been standardized [1] by the principle of voltage-grading
& district-dividing. Voltage-grading means that
high-voltage distribution network mainly built as chain, ring
or radial network, medium-voltage distribution network
mainly built as double ring, single ring, multi-sectioned and
moderate-linked or radial network, and
low-voltage distribution network mainly built as radial
network. District-dividing means that power supply regions
A+, A, B and C mainly built as chain, double ring or double
radiation to meet the demand of power supply, power
supply regions D and E usually built as radial network.
The rationality of the distribution network’s structure
constraints the power supply ability of the network directly.
Strengthen the grid structure so that the maximum number of
load can be transferred when faults take place. This is the
effective measure to reduce outage costs and improve power
supply reliability. In order to consider the effect of load
transfer between different voltage classes, reference [2]
analyzes the reliability and economics of high voltage and
mid-voltage distribution network’s typical connection modes.
After that, an integrated planning method for high voltage
and mid-voltage distribution network is proposed. In the
circumstances of corridor resource shortage, some measures
can be taken to improve power supply ability effectively,
such as partial innovation of distribution lines, installment
with section switch for distribution lines, decrease of the
section switch’s user-access number [3]. In order to make
effective use of the traditional single-loop cable network in
large urban center, and improve power supply ability by
lower cost, reference [4] proposes a method that builds a
back-up contact between two single-loops. The advantages
of this structure in load transfer, and the relationships of the
location of the contact with load transfer ability and
construction cost are analyzed.
It is worth noting that the degree and speed of
distribution network development varies in different regions.
And the grid structure construction is always along with
huge investment. Therefore, the planning and construction of
the distribution network should take local conditions into
consideration, and balance the reliability of grid operation
and the economics of grid construction.
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III. DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION
With the shortage of land resources, distribution
network construction is beset with difficulties. To the
distribution network of large cities with strong grid structure,
the improvement of power supply reliability by improving
grid structure is weak and uneconomic. With the
development of smart-grid technology, the investment and
construction of distribution automation are encouraged.
Distribution automation technology can improve distribution
network reliability significantly in three ways. First, it can
reduce the probability of failure by real-time monitoring the
operational state of distribution network; second, it can
reduce the outage time and outage range by
isolating the fault rapidly and recovering the load that is not
in the fault section automatically; third, it can reduce the
outage time of switching operation by remote control means
[13]. Therefore, distribution automation will be the
major trend in the distribution network development.
Distribution automation can be divided into four typical
modes: fault location system mode, local feeder automation
system mode, centralized feeder automation system mode
and dispatching/distribution integrated platform system
mode. The functions of these four modes are different, so are
the effects to distribution network reliability. Reference [14]
gives the quantitative results of the network’s reliability
indexes in each mode, and the results can provide references
on planning distribution automation construction in different
regions.
It is obvious that distribution automation can improve
the reliability of distribution network [15]. But consider it
from business operation perspective, and weather the
investment of distribution automation can bring
economic benefit is the urgently concerned question.
Therefore, the quantitative evaluation of
distribution automation investment’s feasibility is very
important. To insure the distribution automation
construction’s rationality and economics, reference [16]
defines two macro indexes including distribution automation
system reliability cost-benefit ratio and net profit, and some
micro indexes including distribution automation system
incremental electricity sale ratio, etc. It also analyzes the
investment and profit of distribution automation system, and
provides scientific reference for distribution
network planners to reduce the risk of
distribution automation investment.
To urban centers with high density load, the reliability
of power supply is in high demand, such as 99.999%. If only
use distribution automation to improve power supply
reliability, a lot of distribution terminal equipments have to
be stalled on power lines, which can not be realized in
practice. So using bus-bar automatic transfer switch
equipment on the user side to realize local switch should be
taken into consideration. Reference [17] proposes a fault
handling strategy that coordinates typical “three double”
(double power, double line, double access) connection mode,
local bus-bar automatic transfer switch equipment and
distribution automation system. It can improve the
distribution network’s ability to handle faults as well as
improve power line’s utilization level.
IV. DISTRIBUTION GENERATION
As the development of social economy, distribution
network with single power supply mode can’t meet the
demand of grid development. On the other hand,
environmental pollution problem brought by fossil fuel
consumption is more and more serious. DG (distributed
generation) represented by solar and wind power generation
is flexible, safe and clean, so it can relieve the shortage
of energy and solve the environmental pollution problem. As
DG access to distribution network, power sources and users
will be found all over the distribution network. And the
network’s operation will be changed because of the
randomicity and intermittence of DG. Therefore, it can
influence the reliability of distribution network.
Because of the randomicity and intermittence of DG,
DG connected to the network has brought a large number of
uncertainties. To consider the effect on distribution network
power supply reliability by these uncertainties, an accurate
model of DG output power should be built. The methods of
building this model mainly include analysis and simulation.
Analysis method mainly uses simplified model, and get the
output power model including DG by discrete convolution
theorem [18]. Simulation mainly refers to Monte Carlo
Simulation, and this method needs plenty of calculation to
meet the computing accuracy demand [19]. To seek to a
method with high computing accuracy and low computing
cost, the point estimate method can be used. First, form the
power output’s and load’s estimation points by DG output
power and load probability distribution. Then get the
distribution network reliability index considering DG output
power by the definite relationship between estimation points
and distribution network reliability [20]. Energy storage
technologies can smooth DG output power, and tap potential
of DG to help improving distribution network reliability [21].
Reference [22] proposed a sequential Monte Carlo
Simulation method considering distributed wind turbine,
PV array and storage battery to evaluate distribution network
reliability. It calculates reliability indexes and analyzes the
effects of DG capacity, battery capacity and
charge-discharge strategy on distribution network reliability.
This method is suitable for reliability evaluation of the
distribution network with low DG penetration and sufficient
capacity of higher level grid.
How can DG help to improve distribution network
reliability is the most concerned question for user and
electricity power supply enterprise. We can consider the
effect of DG on distribution network reliability
under two aspects: one is the operation mode of DG; the
other is the reasonable island strategy. Reference [23] is
based on interval algorithm. It calculates the reliability index
of the network before and after DG access, and analyzes the
effect of DG access in different distribution feeder location
on distribution network reliability. But it only analyzes the
effect of DG as backup power on reliability improvement.
The operation modes of DG can be divided into three ways:
bear basic load; be as backup power; grid-connected
operation [24]. Analyzing the effect of different DG
operation modes on network reliability is significant for
network planners and operators to choose the best DG
operation mode. Island is a new operation mode brought by
DG access to distribution network, which can be divided into
unplanned island and planned island [25]. The power supply
reliability can be improved by building planned island so
that the load within the island can be supplied with power
continuously [26]. But this kind of operation mode can’t be
considered in traditional distribution network reliability
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evaluation model. Therefore, reference [27] proposes a
failure recovery strategy based on network partition. Island
is an important way to ensure continuous power supply to
load after power failure in large area. The optimal solution of
island search which can ensure continuous power supply can
be gotten by island fusion, security verification and load
regulation, as well as taking load priority into consideration.
V. CONCLUSION
Distribution network is in the end of the power system,
and it faces to power customers. With the development of
economy, user’s demand for the distribution network’s safety
and reliability is more and more critical. On the other hand,
distribution network has an enormous and complex structure.
With the strengthening of grid structure, developing of
distribution automation and distributed generation,
distribution network reliability evaluation is faced with new
demands:
(1) The low-voltage distribution network reliability
needs further study. At present, the distribution network
construction in our country is still focusing on high-voltage
and medium-voltage distribution network. There is lack of
study on structure of low-voltage distribution network,
distribution automation, etc. Limited by data acquisition
method, it’s hard to realize low-voltage reliability data
statistics automatically. In the future, the outage data of
low-voltage power user should be counted by improving
data collecting performance of the equipment. And a
management system about low-voltage power supply
reliability index should be built. Based on the management
system, the power supply reliability index of low-voltage
user can be analyzed.
(2) Lack of reliability data management system. At
present, distribution network reliability evaluation has some
problems including the huge amount of data, different
sources of data, different versions of data, inconvenience of
coordination between maintenance divisions and
statistics divisions, etc. Therefore, an integrated statistical
platform should be built to provide comprehensive and
accurate reliability statistical basic data.
(3) Reliability evaluation index should take economic
benefit into consideration. The investment of distribution
network construction has to be increased to improve power
supply and reduce outage cost. But if the increased
investment cost is higher than the reduced outage cost, then
the investment is unreasonable. Only if reliability evaluation
index take economic benefit into consideration can the
network planner make the best decision. And the economic
benefit mentioned above is not only the cost savings and
revenue increase of electricity power supply enterprise, but
also the reduce of society economic loss, bad influence on
social order and environment caused by power outage.
(4) Different DG models and operation modes have
different effects on distribution network reliability.
Traditional reliability evaluation index can not exactly
evaluate the effect of DG on reliability. At present, most of
the research on distribution network reliability with DG
focuses on the reliability model and algorithm. There is lack
of study on reliability evaluation index system considering
DG access to distribution network. Therefore, it is necessary
to introduce reasonable index to evaluate the effect of DG on
distribution network reliability.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank the colleagues in
distribution network plan department of Economic Research
Institute of Tianjin Electric Power Company for information
and advice.
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Yang Fan is a postgraduate of electric engineering from North

China Electric Power University, Baoding, China. She mainly
engages in the research of power grid reliability evaluation.
She works at the distribution network plan department of
Economic Research Institute of Tianjin Electric Power
Company

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