Recently, interest in Smart Grid (SG) as a tool for modernization and automation of the current distribution system has rapidly increased. This interest can be explained by the common belief that SG technologies greatly enhance system reliability, power quality and overall efficiency. One of the most important objectives of an SG is to accommodate a wide variety of generation options. This objective aligns with the new trends and policies that encourage higher penetration levels of Distributed Generation (DG) according to environmental, regulatory and economical concerns. Most DG units are either renewable or low emission energy sources, thus meeting the Canadian emission portfolios, while they remain attractive for both utilities and customers for different reasons. DG units can postpone large investment in transmission and central generation, reduce energy losses, and increase system reliability and power quality. SG is centered on several objectives such as self-healing, motivating consumers to participate in grid operation, resisting attacks, accommodating a wide variety of DG units and storage devices, and optimizing assets. Yet, one of the main goals of SG is to increase the reliability of power systems. Reliability is a vital factor in power system performance, due to the full dependence of today???s life on electricity and the high cost of system outages, especially for critical loads. Therefore, one of the main salient features of SG is its ability of self-healing. The insertion of DG units changes distribution networks from being passive with unidirectional power flow and a single power source (the primary substation) towards active networks with multi-directional power flow and several power sources (the primary substation, along with DG units). As a result, the interconnection of DG units creates several impacts on different practices such as voltage profile, power flow, power quality, stability, reliability, fault detection, and restoration. Current policies call for the direct disconnection of all DG units once any failure occurs in the network. However, with a high DG power penetration, the utilities cannot operate the system efficiently without the DG units??? support. Furthermore, automatic disconnection of the DG units during faults reduces the expected benefits associated with DG units drastically. Motivated by the above facts, the overall target of this thesis is to introduce distribution system mechanisms to facilitate realizing the concept of Smart Distribution System (SDS) in both normal and emergency modes. In particular, three main functions are dealt with in this research work: distribution network reconfiguration, DG allocation and self-healing. First, for distribution network reconfiguration, a method based on genetic algorithm is presented to address the reconfiguration problem for distribution systems while the effect of load variation and the stochastic power generation of renewable-based DG units are taken into consideration. The presented method determines the annual distribution network reconfiguration scheme considering switching operation costs in order to minimize annual energy losses by determining the optimal configuration for each season of the year. Second, for DG allocation, a joint optimization algorithm has been proposed to tackle the DG allocation and network reconfiguration problems concurrently, as these two issues are inherently coupled. The two problems are dealt with together while the objectives are minimizing the cost, as an economic issue, and greenhouse gas emissions, as an environmental issue. The proposed method takes the probabilistic nature of both the renewable energy resources and loads into account. The last operation function dealt with in this thesis is distribution system restoration. In order to accomplish this function, two stages are presented: In the first stage, numerous practical aspects related to service restoration problem have been investigated. These aspects include variations in the load and customer priorities, price discounts for in-service customers based on their participation in a load-curtailment scheme that permits other customers to be supplied, the presence of manual and automated switches, and the incorporation of DG units (dispatchable and wind-based units) in the restoration process. In the second stage, the smart grid concept and technologies have been applied to construct a self-healing framework to be applied in smart distribution systems. The proposed multi-agent system is designed to automatically locate and isolate faults, and then decide and implement the switching operations to restore the out-of-service loads. Load variation has been taken into consideration to avoid the need for further reconfigurations during the restoration period. An expert-based decision-making algorithm has been used to govern the control agents. The rules have been extracted from the practical issues related to the service restoration problem, discussed in the first stage.

<p>U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji razvijen je novi algoritam za operativno planiranje rekonfiguracije distributivnih mreža. Cilj ovog algoritma jeste određivanje skupa konfiguracija distributivnih mreža, čijim se uzastopnim primenama optimizuje njihov rad tokom određenog vremenskog perioda. U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji predložen je novi algoritam za rešavanje navedenog problema, a koji je zasnovan na metodi Lagranžove relaksacije.</p> / <p>This PhD thesis proposes a new algorithm for the operation planning of the<br />distribution network reconfiguration. The aim of this algorithm is to determine<br />the set of the distribution network topologies (configurations) which optimizes<br />the distribution network operations during the given time period. In order to<br />enable processing of the real-life distribution networks, this PhD thesis<br />proposes a new algorithm for the operation planing of the distribution network<br />reconfiguration which is based on the Lagrange relaxation approach.</p>

The electric networks reconfiguration has as purpose: to reduce the energy losses, to improve the voltage profile for the customers, to increase the reliability levels or to re-establish the energy supply in contingency situations. In spite of the complexity of this combinatorial problem of large dimensions, there is an effort of the researchers in the direction of efficient optimization methods, once the classic methods present difficulties for its resolution. The disadvantage of these methods is that a major part of researchers ignores the totality of formal information that is available in the power utilities. The efficient solution should also consider the knowledge and experience of power utilities professionals that can be accomplished starting from the development of Specialist Systems. For these reason, it becomes more recommended to consider algorithms that make possible the use of formal and informal analysis methods. This context motivated this thesis whose proposal is the development of new methods and software for distribution networks reconfiguration starting from multiple criteria decision-making methods, aiming at a more adequate processing of all available information in power utilities. To solve the approached problem, this paper uses the Bellman-Zadeh s method that was shown efficient in the solution of several problems of multiple criteria decision, besides allowing the analysis, at the same time, of quantitative and qualitative criteria. In general, the reconfiguration can not be solved in an efficient way without the analysis of the following problems: the appropriate modeling of the equipments and electrical loads; the creation of algorithm for representation of the electrical topology that allows fast changes in the electric configuration; calculations of the load flow; the definition of composition and presentation forms for the target functions and restrictions; the development of optimization methods and software to define the best electric configuration in normal operation state and in contingency situations. The proposed methodologies were customized according to the power utilities needs, helping the operators in the decision-making process. Besides that the algorithms meet the demand for fast processing of the efficient solutions, which is fundamental mainly in the re-establishment of energy supply during contingencies. Among the several advantages of the developed software in relation to the conventional softwares, the most important are: the representation of the electric topology considers only the information of the connections that really exist, dispensing the use of matrixes; integration with the electric load modeling systems for maximum demand as for load typical curves; the use of the initial data reliability to coordinate the tranformers load; application of multiple criteria optimization algorithms for distribution networks reconfiguration, in normal operational state and in contingency situations; composition of the target functions and restrictions considering quantitative and qualitative characteristics; evaluation of the impact of the reconfiguration in the power systems energy losses. As results, case studies are presented with real data from the power utilities, in order to prove the efficiency of the proposed methods. / A reconfiguração das redes elétricas tem como finalidade: reduzir as perdas de energia, melhorar o perfil de tensão para os consumidores, aumentar os níveis de confiabilidade ou restabelecer o fornecimento de energia em situações de contingência. Apesar da complexidade desse problema combinatorial de grandes dimensões, há todo um esforço, por parte dos pesquisadores, no sentido de buscar métodos eficazes de otimização, uma vez que os métodos clássicos apresentam dificuldades para sua resolução. A desvantagem destes trabalhos é que a maioria deles praticamente ignora a totalidade da informação formal, que está disponível nas concessionárias. No entanto, para uma solução eficiente, também deve-se considerar o conhecimento e a experiência dos profissionais das concessionárias, que pode ser realizado a partir do desenvolvimento de Sistemas Especialistas. Por essas razões, torna-se mais indicado desenvolver algoritmos que possibilitem reunir métodos de análise formais e informais. Essas constatações motivaram a realização deste trabalho. Nele, propõese o desenvolvimento de novos métodos e de uma ferramenta computacional para reconfiguração das redes de distribuição a partir de métodos de tomada de decisão multicriteriais, visando ao processamento adequado das fontes de informação disponíveis nas concessionárias. Para resolver o problema abordado, este trabalho utiliza o método de Bellman-Zadeh, que se mostrou eficiente para a solução de questões envolvendo múltiplos critérios, permitindo não apenas a análise de critérios quantitativos, mas também qualitativos. Em geral, a questão de reconfiguração não pode ser solucionada de forma otimizada, sem a análise dos seguintes problemas: modelagem adequada dos elementos pertencentes às redes de distribuição e das cargas elétricas; criação de algoritmo para representação da topologia das redes, que permita realizar rápidas alterações na configuração; cálculos do fluxo de potência; definição da composição e formas de apresentação para as funções objetivo e restrições; desenvolvimento de métodos de otimização e software para definir a configuração elétrica ideal, em regime normal de operação e em situações de contingência. As metodologias propostas foram customizadas de acordo com as necessidades das concessionárias, ajudando os operadores no processo de tomada de decisão. Além disso, os algoritmos atendem à exigência de processamento rápido na definição da solução eficiente, que é fundamental principalmente quando se tratar de restauração de energia em situações de contingência. Dentre as vantagens desse sistema em relação aos softwares convencionais, destacam-se as seguintes: representação da topologia elétrica das redes de distribuição, considerando somente a informação das ligações que existem de fato, dispensando o uso de matrizes; integração com os sistemas de modelagem da carga elétrica tanto por demanda máxima quanto por curvas típicas de carga; uso da confiabilidade dos dados iniciais para coordenação da carga dos transformadores de distribuição; aplicação de algoritmos de otimização e de análise multicriteriais para reconfiguração das redes, em regime normal de operação e em situações de contingência; composição das funções objetivo e restrições, considerando características quantitativas e qualitativas; avaliação do impacto das reconfigurações nas perdas elétricas dos sistemas de potência. Como resultados, são apresentados estudos de casos com dados reais das concessionárias de energia elétrica, com o objetivo de comprovar a eficiência dos métodos propostos.