Flower Pollination Algorithm for Distribution System Reconfiguration Problem

Network reconfiguration is one of the main approaches to improve the operation of distribution systems. The main objective of the reconfiguration problem is to find a radial network topology with minimum technical losses. This work presents an approach to address the reconfiguration problem using the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA). FPA is a metaheuristic inspired by the pollination of plants through flowers. The proposed method is validated using several test systems found in the literature. Results are compared with other techniques, verifying the efficiency of the new approach. It is concluded that the metaheuristic FPA presents an excellent performance for the reconfiguration problem in small and medium-sized distribution networks.