Optimal Distribution Automation Devices Placement for Reliability Improvement of a Real Distribution Network with Sub-Feeders Considering Customer Interruption Cost

This paper presents predictive analytical and simulation approaches to reliability worth/cost assessments conducted on a test system and a typical Cape Town real system. Feeder 3 of bus 6 of the RBTS was utilized to illustrate various cases of switch configurations and for each arrangement the reliability indices were evaluated analytically as well as in Monte Carlo Simulation and results found to be similar. In this paper three scenarios were investigated in the Waterkloof Farmers-1 11 kV network (real system); Reliability assessment was firstly performed without automation devices (Scenario 1), secondly with automation devices in the current or existing positions (Scenario 2) and lastly, with optimal placement of the automation devices on the feeder using analytical and evolutionary algorithms methodologies (Scenario 3). The objective function behind placement can either be based on SAIDI or the ECOST and the best switch position for SAIDI might be worst position for the ECOST.