Optimal multiple capacitor placement for power loss reduction in distribution network

Abstract

A critical analysis on capacitors coordination is discussed in this paper. A meta-heuristic technique, which is known as Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA), is used to determine suitable locations for these capacitors as well as their optimal sizes. With the optimal placements and sizes, power loss in the system can be reduced. The advantage of using meta-heuristic technique is, all factors influencing the power loss of the network (in particular the capacitors' placements and sizes) can be optimized simultaneously. The results demonstrate that blindly increasing the number of capacitors in the network does not guarantee better network performance (even if the capacitors' sizes are optimal). For a 69-bus distribution system, 3 units of capacitors with the capacity of 0.2919 MVar, 0.6753 MVar and 1.1792 MVar at buses 20, 51 and 61 respectively, are enough to improve the voltage profile and reduce the power loss significantly.