Optimal network reconfiguration for voltage sag mitigation in distribution systems using improved genetic algorithm

Network reconfiguration is an efficient method for line loss reduction in power systems and though uncommon, it can also be employed for voltage sag mitigation. Voltage sag is considered as one of the most common power quality problems. In this paper, a method for improving bus voltage magnitudes during voltage sag is presented. It is done by applying network reconfiguration to the exposed weak area in distribution systems. In the process of reconfiguration, genetic algorithm with a new encoding method is used to maintain radial structure of distribution network while reaching the optimal solution. The simulation results show that the proposed method is efficient and feasible for improving the bus voltage profile during voltage sag considering the benefits obtained from the reduction of the financial losses by the load outages due to voltage sag problems. The proposed method may assist utility engineers in taking the right decision for network reconfiguration.