Network Reconfiguration Method Considering Probabilistic Operation of SVR in a Distribution System

Abstract

Owing to the inherent uncertainty of photovoltaic (PV) output fluctuations, power-flow management and voltage regulation are critical in distribution systems with a high penetration of PV generation. Although network reconfiguration is a promising approach to address these challenges, it requires system operators to estimate the system states owing to the lack of enough sensors to directly monitor the power-flow conditions in distribution systems. The authors have previously developed a probabilistic state estimation technique that accounts for load and PV output uncertainties; however, this technique did not consider the voltage-control equipment within the distribution system. Therefore, this paper presents a novel network-reconfiguration method that incorporates the control effect of step voltage regulators (SVRs). The proposed method optimizes the SVR output voltage using the probability distribution of the voltage profile in conjunction with the optimal network reconfiguration. Numerical simulations on a modified IEEE 33-bus system model demonstrate that the proposed method reduces distribution power loss while satisfying the voltage-violation probability. © 2025 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.