Two-level reconfiguration algorithm of branch exchange and variable neighbourhood search for active distribution network

Abstract

In this paper, a two-level algorithm is proposed to solve the distribution network reconfiguration with an objective of minimum power loss. In the first level reconfiguration, switches of maximum power loss reduction are disconnected by the branch exchange (BE) algorithm. Based on the results, neighbourhoods of disconnected switches are constructed by the deterministic transform method in the second level. The variable neighbourhood search (VNS) algorithm keeps searching the neighbourhoods to obtain a better solution with a lower power loss. Simulations are carried out on IEEE33 and PG&69 distribution networks to verify the superiority of the proposed algorithm. The obtained results are compared with the other methods available in the paper. It can be concluded that the presented method has both high stability and rapidity.