Hierarchical agglomerative clustering of selected hungarian medium voltage distribution networks

Abstract

Nowadays the increase of photovoltaic penetration and simultaneously, the decentralization of electricity system, poses a number of challenges for distribution system developers and operators. The spread of high output power photovoltaic power plant connections demands the development of a network infrastructure. The analysis of development directions can be done with software simulation, for which network models are needed, which can characterize real networks well. To create such reference networks, knowing existing topologies, hierarchical agglomerative clustering can be a solution. When the parameters of the clusters are specified well, their software implementation can be done. In this study, a possible clustering process of selected Hungarian medium voltage overhead networks (including the determination of the optimal cluster number too), and the formulated network clusters are presented. The clustering of twenty selected 22 kV medium voltage networks was done using hierarchical agglomerative clustering. Then the optimal cluster number was determined. Based on Davis-Bouldin and Silhouette criterions, this cluster number was four. Two of the four generated clusters are single clusters, containing only one feeder. The size and looping of the characterized sample networks are well observable. In this paper a method has been created to generate medium voltage distribution network models, which can be used to simulate the effects of the growing photovoltaic penetration in the Hungarian distribution network.