Joint transmission and distribution power flow : application and optimization

With increased penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs), the infinite bus assumption traditionally made in distribution system analysis is challenged. However, the recently introduced concept of joint transmission and distribution (T&D) power flow enables modeling of interactions between the transmission and distribution systems. Using joint T&D power flow, a contribution of the thesis is the analysis of the effects of DERs on transmission-level voltage. However, the other, arguably more significant contribution is the formulation of an optimal power flow (OPF) problem incorporating joint T&D principles. The formulation concerns short-term grid resilience in the face of an extreme weather event. It features the staging and deployment of mobile substations and mobile generators to augment the operation of an electrical system that has been damaged by an extreme weather event. Other features include topology reconfiguration and DER modeling. The design, shortcomings, and implementation of the formulation are described. Then its functionality is validated through several test cases. Besides its intended purpose, the formulation may find uses in the future even not involving grid resilience. Its representation of the electrical system is sufficiently comprehensive that one may imagine its eventual adaptation to some new OPF problem of a similarly applied nature.Electrical and Computer Engineerin