Reconfiguration of Smart Distribution Network
Considering Variation of Load and Local Renewable
Generation
Raoof Hasanpour1, Belal Mohamadi Kalesar1*, Javad Behkesh noshahr1, Payam Farhadi, Member IEEE2
1
Ardabil Province Electricity Distribution Company (APED Co.), Ardabil, Iran
2
Young Researchers and Elite Club, Parsabad Moghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Parsabad Moghan, Iran
*
Corresponding Author: Belal.mohamadi@gmail.com
Abstract—Power distribution system reconfiguration
can be achieved by changing the status of sectionalizing
and ties switches on the feeders to power loss reduction
and voltage profile improvement. The load value in
distribution networks depends on hours of day and load
type as industrial, commercial, and residential. Nowadays
the presence of distributed generation (DG) units in
distribution networks increasing and generated power
form these units are not constant. Load profiles hourly
variations on the one hand and power generation variation
of DG units versus input parameter like wind speed,
intensity of sunlight and river flow on the other hand, the
necessity of online distribution network reconfiguration
implementation using installation of remote controlled
switches are highlighted. In normal operation situation,
reconfiguration of distribution network can reduce losses
and improve voltage profile, but considering load and
generation variation can alter power loss and voltage
magnitude of buses. In this paper optimal online
reconfiguration, taking into account hourly changes in
output power of renewable energy sources considering the
hourly variation of three load types residential, industrial
and commercial using Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CSA) to
reduce power losses and improve voltage profile in the
standard 33 bus will be conducted during 24 hours. The
results of the simulation in MATLAB software
environment show the effectiveness of the proposed
method to reduce losses and improve voltage profile.
Keywords— Reconfiguration; Load and Generation Variation;
power loss; cuckoo search algorithm; smart networks.
I. INTRODUCTION
Network reconfiguration is achieved by opening the
normally closed sectionalizing switches and subsequently
closing the normally open switches [1]. Changing the network
topology will effects the power distribution network operating
point, therefore distribution companies try to find the optimal
topology so that the operating point of distribution network is
optimum considering technical constraints are satisfied (i.e.,
voltage and current limits, feeding all loads, and radial
structure). One of the other main reasons of distribution
978-1-5386-3917-7/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
reconfiguration is elimination overloads on network
components.
The load on the feeders of a distribution system is
generally a combination of industrial, commercial and
residential, and these loads can decrease or increase in
different times of day and night. Therefore peak load on the
substation transformers and feeders occurs at different times
of the day; this can cause systems to have heavy or light load
during day and night. Nowadays, the presence of DG units in
distribution networks increasing, and these generation sources
will play a important role in system operation. Some technical
advantages of DG units include voltage profile improvement,
power loss reduction and system component capacity
alleviation [3]. With the increased use of distribution
automation, considering high speed computer systems for data
processing, advancement in data communication, the real time
reconfiguration of distribution network using remote
controlled switches is viable [4].
In Ref. [1], studied load alteration effects in distribution
systems on optimal structures for power loss minimization.
Load variations are simulated by stochastic methods and
network reconfigurations are achieved using heuristics
technique. In [2] GA (genetic algorithm) is implemented to the
distribution system reconfiguration problem considering the
effect of load variation and the power generation of DG units.
Ref. [4] performs the automatic reconfiguration of distribution
networks incorporating DG units based on a heuristic method.
The AHP analysis method is employed to determine the best
switching sequence. Ref. [5] presented a heuristic algorithm
for branch exchange and power loss calculation considering
only one pair of switching operation at a time. In [6]
application of the online reconfiguration in distribution
networks to evaluate benefits, considering the time varying
nature of loads, using daily load profiles in each node of the
system is presented. Also the comparison of hourly
reconfiguration evaluation in distribution systems with fixed
topologies considering maximum and average demand of the
system is implemented. The hourly switching in radial
distribution network for voltage stability index improvement
using feeder reconfiguration considering static voltage
dependent load model is proposed in [7]. A harmony search
algorithm is proposed for multi- stage hieratical
reconfiguration considering load pattern to improve power
loss, voltage stability margin and investment cost in [8]. In
[9], a new method Decimal coded quantum particle swarm
optimization (DQPSO) is implemented for distribution system
reconfiguration considering different model of DG units to
real power loss minimization. In [10], Evolutionary
programming (EP) algorithm is implemented to power loss
minimization using feeder reconfiguration considering load
variations.
II. CUCKOO SEARCH ALGORITHM
One of the recently developed optimization algorithms is
cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) [11]. This evolutionary
algorithm is based on population and suitable for solving
optimization sophisticated problems with simple procedure Fig. 2. power generation profile of turbines, solar photovoltaic panels and
and few tuning parameters advantage. In feeder small hydropower units
reconfiguration process using CSA, each reconfiguration
solution is considered as a host nest. A population of N host IV. PROBLEM FORMULATION
nests is represented by (1) and (2): The objective function of the problem is formulated so as to
X = switch get maximum power loss reduction in distributed system
_
which is the sum of power loss reduction due to hourly
switch , switch , … , switch reconfiguration, which is subject to the voltage, current and
⎡ ⎤ (1)
switch , switch , … , switch power flow constraints.
X =⎢ ⎥
⎢ … ⎥
⎣switch , switch , … , switch ⎦ Minimize F = P , = R, I (1)
where switch (n=1, 2, ... Ntie_switch and t=1, 2, … , 24) are
the tie switch no. of corresponding to nest k. The control Subjected to the following operating constraints:
variables are step size parameter α = 0.1 and distribution x Power conservation limits:
factor β = 0.66.
In 33 bus standard system there are five loops so it should = + , (2)
have five tie switches to remain network radial (Ntie_switch=5 Where PD is total network load.
for this study case).
x Voltage limits:
III. LOAD AND LOCAL RENEWABLE GENERATION
| |≤ ≤| | (3)
The loads can be characterized by curves, as shown in Fig.
1 obtained firsthand for typical loads. The power generation Also, Vmin and Vmax are allowable minimum and maximum
profile of wind turbines (WT), solar photovoltaic panels (PV) bus voltages respectively.
and small hydro- power (SHP) units are shown by curves, as x Distribution line capacity limits:
in Fig. 2. Load alteration and local generation level variation
during a day can effect power loss of network and change | |≤ , (4)
operation point of system.
If any one of the above constraints is violated, the resultant
solution will be rejected.
V. SIMULATION RESULTS
The proposed methodology is implemented on standard
IEEE 33- bus distribution networks. Fig. 3 shows wind
turbine, photovoltaic panels and small hydropower installed
on 33 bus standard 5, 14 and 29th buses with rating power
500, 800 and 1000 kw respectively.
Table I shows load type of buses that considered in the
study case on 33 bus standard network. Table II shows the
best solution of real-time reconfiguration during 24 hour using
CSA. In all hours, power loss has been reduced using real-
time reconfiguration (see Fig. 7). The optimum switches to be
Fig. 1. Duration Curves of Residential, Industrial and Commercial loads
opened also presented on this table as well as power
generation of three renewable energy sources.
 TABLE I.
Residential load
2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 21,
Buses
22, 25, 30, 31, 33
LOAD TYPE OF BUSES ON 33 BUS NETWORK
Commercial load Industrial load
5, 10, 14, 19, 20, 24, 27, 29, 32 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 23, 26, 28

TABLE II. RESULTS OF REAL-TIME RECONFIGURATION DURING 24 HOUR CONSIDERING LOAD TYPES AND DG UNITS
PV WT SHP Total Power Loss Power Loss
Hour Tie Switches
(kw) (kw) (kw) Demand (kw) (before) (kw) (after) (kw)
1 33 9 14 27 36 0 320 950 2097.3 40.3 28.0
2 33 10 14 28 17 0 304 950 1942.9 35.1 23.9
3 4 11 14 27 17 0 320 950 1797.55 30.9 20.6
4 33 11 14 28 17 0 640 950 1735.3 30.1 19.5
5 33 11 13 28 16 0 800 950 1759.65 31.2 20.3
6 33 10 14 28 36 0 784 950 2004.5 34.0 22.8
7 33 10 14 28 36 25 800 950 2238 36.6 24.9
8 33 9 14 28 32 100 784 1000 2614.4 44.4 30.8
9 33 11 34 28 32 200 800 850 2834.05 49.2 36.6
10 33 11 34 28 32 290 656 850 2936 52.7 39.7
11 33 10 34 28 32 400 704 850 3011.95 54.1 40.8
12 33 9 34 28 32 475 680 900 3080 57.0 42.5
13 33 10 34 28 32 500 800 850 2858.7 50.8 37.7
14 33 10 34 28 32 475 784 900 2511.7 44.2 30.3
15 33 11 34 28 32 400 800 900 2499.9 44.1 30.7
16 33 11 34 28 36 290 800 1000 2770.85 51.9 36.5
17 33 10 34 28 36 200 800 900 2859.15 58.0 41.2
18 33 17 10 28 34 100 784 1000 2823.2 60.8 41.4
19 33 9 14 28 16 25 760 1000 2787.25 63.2 41.7
20 33 9 14 28 16 0 656 1000 2757.05 64.7 42.6
21 33 9 14 28 17 0 504 1000 2900.45 75.7 51.9
22 33 10 14 27 36 0 240 900 2705 69.5 50.5
23 33 9 14 28 36 0 280 850 2457.2 57.0 41.5
24 33 9 14 28 36 0 304 850 2279.1 48.3 34.9
Total energy loss during 24 hours before and after reconfiguration (kwh) 1183.8 831.3

Table II shows that energy loss during 24 hours before

reconfiguration can be reduced from 1183.8 to 831.3 kwh after
real- time reconfiguration. This table shows available PV, WT
and SHP units’ generation during a day at different times, also
according to residential, commercial and industrial load type
related to different buses of network from table I, total load
demand alteration of distribution network has been tabulated.
 Figs. 6 and 7 shows the total demand profile and power
loss before and after reconfiguration during 24 hour.

Fig. 6. total demand profile of 33 bus network due to different load types
during 24 hour

Fig. 3. 33 bus standard network with renewable energy sources presence

Voltage profiles of 33 bus network before and after

reconfiguration during 24 hour have been illustrated in Fig. 4
and 5 respectively. It is clear that minimum voltage amplitude
between curves has been improved from 0.942 p.u. to about
0.968 p.u. on 18th bus.

Fig. 7. power loss profile of 33 bus network before and after reconfiguration
during 24 hour

VI. CONCLUSION
This paper presented a cuckoo search algorithm for real
time reconfiguration of power distribution networks
considering load alteration and distributed generation units’
output power generating variation. In this study for real time
reconfiguration of networks, load variation profile and
different sources of DG generation profile from wind, solar
Fig. 4. voltage profile of 33 bus network before reconfiguration during 24
hour and SHP units have been considered. The results show that
energy loss during 24 hours is decreased after reconfiguration
in comparison with initial topology. Also available
photovoltaic, wind turbine and hydro- power units’ generation,
proposed tie switch to have minimum power loss during a day
at different times, and total load demand alteration of
distribution network have been tabulated.
The real time reconfiguration will reduce energy loss of
network during a day and will improve network performance
but it should be considered restriction in the number of
switching along the time period to have applicable results.

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