Minimum switching losses for solving distribution NR problem with distributed generation

Power losses in a distribution system are commonly minimised via optimal network reconfiguration (NR). Previously, research on NR was focused on planning, where the final configuration reporting the lowest power losses being the main goal. However, power losses during switching operations from the original state to the optimal state of configuration were not considered. This study discusses the optimal switching path for minimising power losses when reconfiguring a network. The simultaneous optimal NR and distributed generation (DG) output was also proposed. The proposed methodology involves: (i) optimal NR and DG output simultaneously and (ii) optimal switching path to convert the network from the initial configuration to the final configuration obtained from (i). The selected optimisation technique in this study is the firefly algorithm. The proposed method was tested using IEEE 33-bus, 69-bus, and 118-bus radial distribution networks, while also accounting for static and dynamic loads. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method in determining the optimal path of switching operations, as well as the optimal network configuration and optimal output of DG units