A novel improved algorithm using Cuckoo Search for Economic Load Dispatch

Economic Load Dispatch (ELD) is an important problem in power system optimization. It helps to create very efficient unit management plans and keeps the generation cost to a minimum. In this paper, we have addressed ELD problem with a novel improved algorithm called Elitist Cuckoo Search (ECS) keeping in mind the practical constraints of a plant such as generation ramp rate and prohibited zones of operation. The transmission network losses are also taken into account. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is tested on a sample test system consisting of fifteen generating units. It is observed that both Cuckoo Search (CS) and Improved Cuckoo Search (ICS) are trapped in local minima and give worse convergence characteristics when compared to other meta-heuristic algorithms applied to the same test case. Hence in order to improve the performance, reduce the probability of getting trapped in local optima and to improve the convergence characteristics of these two Cuckoo Search algorithms, a new method called Elitist Cuckoo Search (ECS) is introduced and is shown to be superior than Cuckoo Search, Improved Cuckoo Search and other well-known meta-heuristic algorithms.