ELECTRICAL POWER

&
ENERGY SYSTEMS
www.elsevier.com/locate/ijepes

A new
approach
of
distributi
on
system
reconfigu
ration for
loss
minimization
M.A. Kashem*,
G.B. Jasmon, V.
Ganapathy
Multimedia University, Jalan
Multimedia, 63100 Cyberjaya,
Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract
Feeder reconfiguration for
loss minimization is a
network
optimization
problem and trie solution for
trie problem involves a
search
over
trie
configuration. This paper
presents a systematic feeder
reconfiguration technique
that develops an optimal
switching
scheme
to
achieve
a
mximum
reduction of losses in a
distribution network. Trie
technique restructures trie
distribution
feeders
by
changing the open/closed
status of the sectionalizing

and tie switches. A minimal

tree-search is proposed in
this paper to find the
possible switching-options
for loss reduction. A loss
change formula has been
derived and used to
determine the switching
option that gives the
mximum loss reduction in
the system. The proposed
technique can identify the
most effective switchingoptions for loss reduction,
and can achieve minimum
loss configuration with
minimum
computational
effort. The performance of
the proposed technique is
tested on a 33-bus system
and the results are compared
with that of Baran and Wus
method [Baran ME, Wu FF.
Network reconfiguration in
distribution systems for loss
reduction
and
load
balancing. IEEE Trans.
Power
Delivery,
1989;4(2):1401-1407].
2000 Elsevier Science
Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Feeder
reconfiguration; Loss
minimization; Distribution
systems

1.
Introduc
tion
The
subject of
minimizi
ng
distributi
on losses
has
gained a
great
deal of
attention
due
to
the high
cost of
electrical
energy
and
therefore,

much of
current
research
on distribution
automati
on
has
focused
on
the
minimum
-loss
configuration
problem
[110].
Besides
economic
considera
tion, the
effect of
electric
power

loss
is
that heat
energy is
dissipate
d which
increases
the
temperat
ure of the
associate
d electric
compone
nts and
can result
in
insulatio
n failure.
By
minimizi
ng
the
power
losses,
the
system
may
acquire
longer
life span
and have
greater
reliability
.
Therefor
e,
loss
minimization
in
distributi
on
systems
has
become
the
subject
of
intensive
research.
Feeder
reconfigu
ration for
loss
minimiza
tion
in
distribution
systems
is

realized
by
changing
the status
of
sectionali
zing and
tie
switches.
Most
electric
distributi
on
networks
are
operated
radially.
Configur
ation
alteration
s
are
performe
d
by
changing
the state
of
network
switches,
in such a
way that
radiality
is always
preserved
.
The
optimal
operating
condition
of
distributi
on
networks
is
obtained
when
line
losses are
minimize
d without
any
violation
s
of
branchloading
and
voltage
limits.
Therefor

e, feeder
reconfigu
ration is
impleme
nted to
minimize
real
power

losses
and at the
same
time
alleviate
transform
er
overload,
feeder
thermal
overload
and
abnormal
voltages
of
the
system
[4,10].
There are
two types
of
switches
in
the
system:
one
is
normally
closed
switches
connectin
g the line
sections
called
sectionali
zing
switches
and the
other is
normally
open
switches
on
the
tie-lines
connectin
g either
two
primary
feeders
or
two
substatio
ns,
or
loop-type
laterals
called
tieswitches.
The
change in
network

configuration is
achieved
by
opening
or
closing
of these
two types
of
switches
in such a
way that
the
radiality
of the
network
is
maintaine
d.
Distributi
on lines
or
line
sections
show
differ-ent
character
istics as
each has
a
different
mixture
of residential,
commerc
ial and
industrial
type
loads and
their
correspo
nding
peak
times are
not
coinciden
t. This is
due
to
the fact
that some
parts of
the
distributi
on
system
becomes
more

heavily
loaded at
certain
times of
the day
and less
heavily
loaded at
other
times.
Therefore
,
by
shifting
the loads
in
the
system,
the radial
structure
of
the
distribution
feeders
can
be
modified
from
time to
time in
order to
reschedul
e the load
currents
more
efficientl
y for loss
minimization.
During
normal
operating
condition
s,
networks
are
reconfigu
red for
two
purposes:
(i)
to
minimize
the
system
real
power
losses in
the
network;
and (ii)

to relieve
the
overloads
in
the
feeders.
The
former is
referred
to
as
feeder
reconfigu
ration for
loss
reduction
and the

latter as
load
balancing
.
Some
metho
ds
have
been
propos
ed for
achievi
ng
optima
l

solutions, but they are either too time consuming or have

some other inherent weaknesses and hence they are not
suitable for the feeder reconfiguration problem. Wagner et
al. [3] has proven that linear programming methods [4,5]
used for system planning are unsuitable for loss reduction
employing feeder reconfiguration technique. Branch and
bound method [6] has been used to minimize the distribution losses. However, the method has difficulty in
determining the upper and lower bounds effectively and
this would make the method more time consuming for realtime applications.
Aoki et al. [7] proposed a quasi-quadratic nonlinear
programming technique to resolve the loss-minimization
problem. The problem was formulated into a sequence of
subproblems that are subjected to operation constraints.
Glanmocanin [8] developed linearized models with the
transhipment cost to find the minimum spanning radial tree
to achieve an optimal system configuration with minimum
loss. In Ref. [9], Liu et al. presented two algo-rithms
deriving a global optimality condition for the feeder
reconfiguration loss minimization problem. One is based on
the uniformly distributed load model and the other on a
concentrated load model. The optimal solution is obtained
in the first algorithm when the minimum loss is established
for every feeder pair. By the same procedure, the second
algorithm is developed by moving open points (considering
one at a time) from an actual switch position to another and
the procedure is continued as long as no further loss
reduction is achieved.
Civanlar et al. [10] presented an efficient reconfiguration
algorithm for loss reduction. A simple formula based on
some simplifying assumptions has been derived for the estimation of loss reduction with minimum computational
effort. This formula can estimate the loss changes for a
particular switching option between two feeders. Baran and
Wu [1] developed a formula following the solution
approach proposed by Ref. [10]. The formula of Ref. [1]
has been used in the loops of the network to determine the
switching option for loss minimization.
In this paper, a new method for feeder reconfiguration has
been developed based on the solution approach proposed by
Baran and Wu [1]. The paper presents a minimal tree-search
to find the possible switching-options for loss reduction. A
simple loss-change formula is developed to determine the
switching option that gives a maximum reduction in losses.
The proposed method is found to be efficient and takes less
computational effort to obtain the optimal or near optimal
configuration for loss minimization.

transferred to another feeder by closing a tie switch

connecting the two, while an appropriate sectionalizing
switch must be opened to preserve the radial structure. The
loss minimization problem to be addressed in this paper is
to determine the open/closed states of the tie and
sectionalizing switches in order to achieve a mximum
reduction in power losses. The change in losses can be
easily estimated from the two power flow solutions, which
are obtained before and after feeder reconfiguration.
However, the number of switching options even for a
modrate size distribution system is so large and therefore a
large number of load flow solutions have to be executed for
all the possible options. It becomes not only inefncient
from a computational point of view, but also unrealistic as a
feeder reconfiguration strategy. Therefore, it is desirable to
propose a method that can provide a criterion that may be
used to eliminate the undesirable switching options.
2.1. Objective function for loss minimization
To solve the loss reduction problem, it is necessary to
calclate the changes of losses by various switching options
and to select the switching candidates which give the mximum loss reduction. The calculation of losses for all of the
possible switching candidates by executing the conventional
load flow will become impracticable. Therefore, a simple
loss estimation method has to be developed which can
provide the best switching options with less number of load
flow executions.
Having a network model, the power loss in the system can
be expressed in terms of system variables. Therefore, the
objective function of the loss reduction (LP) can be
expressed as

subject to the conditions that:

1. the voltage drop in every feeder should not exceed the
constraint valu of A V-^,
2. the line current should not be less than the constraint
valu of -4,m or greater than that of Imax;
where, r is the resistance of line i and V is the voltage at the
sending end of line i.
The bus voltage constraint is used, as the mximum
allowable voltage drop provided by the International
Standard and the current rating constraints are determined
according to the conductor type and size used.

2. Formulation of the loss reduction problem

3. Proposed branch loss-change technique

Feeder reconfiguration is performed by changing the

open/closed status of the sectionalizing and tie switches.
The system is reconfigured for many purposes. In system
reconfiguration, a whole feeder or part of a feeder is

Feeder reconfiguration determines the switching

operations to reach at a minimum loss condition of a distribution system. A switching-option is carried out between a
tie and a sectionalizing switch. The switching-option can

M.A. Kashem et al. / Electrical Power and Energy Systems 22 (2000) 269276
Common node (0)

Fig. 1. The loop associated with tie-line t.

also be referred to as branch-exchange, because an open

branch (tie-line) is exchanged with a closed branch by a
switching operation. In this section, we derive a loss-change
formula, which determines the change of losses in the
system when a branch-exchange is performed. Mltiple
branch-exchanges are possible for optimal or near optimal
configuration where several tie and sectionalizing switches
are simultaneously closed and or opened by the successive
application of the proposed scheme. The best branchexchange to be implemented is chosen at each successive
operation that gives mximum loss reduction without any
constraints being violated.
3.1. Derivation of the formula for loss reduction
A radial distribution network can be represented by
several loops. One tie-line can only make one loop and
therefore, the number of loops are equal to the number of
tie-lines. In the proposed technique, a loss reduction formula
is derived which will estimate the loss reduction in a
network from a switching operation in the loop. A loop in a
radial network is created by a tie-line t, as shown in Fig. 1.
There is a voltage difference across the normally open tie
switch in the tie-line. The higher voltage drop side of the tie
switch is called lower voltage side and the lower voltage
drop side of the tie switch is called higher voltage side of the
loop. The lower and higher voltage sides in the figure are
denoted by 1 and h, respectively.
Consider a line shown in Fig. 2 connecting bus i to bus i
+ 1 with line impedance of z = r + jx.
The power loss on this distribution line can be calculated
as follows:
Real power loss,
Reactive power loss,
Fig. 2. A distribution line.

where Pi and Qi are the real and reactive injected powers,

respectively, at bus i.

Power flow equations for a radial distribution network

proposed by Baran and Wu [1] are given below:
In the loss reduction problem, the objective is to
minimize the total i2r losses in the system. Therefore, by
rearranging the above equations, the real and reactive
power losses on branch i can be expressed as
If the network is reconfigured by on/off switching, the
power flows in the network will be changed and hence
the losses on the branch i will become

If a switching operation is performed in such a way that a

load or a block of loads is transferred from higher voltage
side to the lower voltage side of a loop, the power flow inthe
branch will be increased at higher voltage side whereas it
will be decreased at lower voltage side. Let the branch flow
around the loop, P and Q be changed by AP and AQ,
respectively, after the switching operation. For the lower
voltage side the new real power and reactive power at
branch 1 and 1 + 1 become
For the higher voltage side the new real power and reactive
power at branch 1 and 1 + 1 become

The change of loss depends on the changes of power flow in

the system. The power flow changes can be obtained by
applying single-line method of Ref. [11]. A real distribution
network consisting of many lines can be reduced into a
system with only one line [11].
By considering a single line as shown in Fig. 3, the real
and reactive power equations can be written as
Fig. 3. A simple system consisting of a line and a load.

Using Eqs. (4a) and (5a) the

real loss reduction for any
branch can be written as

Substituting Eqs. (6a)

(6d) into Eq. (8), the real
and
reactive
loss
reduction
at
lower
voltage side can be
obtained as

Similarly, the real and

reactive loss reductions at
the higher voltage side are
Real power loss reduction
for the loop is
Similarly, reactive loss
reduction for the loop is

Simpliying Eqs. (12a)

and (12b), we obtain
Rearranging Eq. (13),
we get

Substituting the value of

Qi into Eq. (12a), a
quadratic equation in
terms of real power flow
Pi is obtained as

When the network is

configured currently, the
branch power flow will
be changed. Hence, for
new configuration, Eq.

(15) becomes

For higher voltage side,

Subtracting Eq. (16) from
Eq. (15), the valu of AP,
can be obtained. For
lower voltage side,

Similarly APJ+1 can be obtained in the same way as the

above equation in which APJ+1 is given as follows:

Fig. 4. A typical medium

voltage radial
distribution system.

Table 1
Test results of the proposed method
Search
level

Branch inout

Loss reduction in percentage

of initial losses

35-9

23.96

2
3
4
5
6

37-28
34-14
33-6
28-37
36-32

3.73
0.41
2.66
2.64
1.55

For higher voltage side,

For lower voltage side,

Substituting the vales of AP and APJ+1 for lower and
higher voltage side from Eqs. (17a)-(17d) into the real loss
change Eq. (lia) leads to the total loss reduction in a loop as

Therefore, the real power loss reduction for any branchexchange can be similarly obtained as
where, P and Q are real and reactive power flows in branch
i, P+1 and Qi+ x are real and reactive power flows in branch
i + 1, r,and x the resistance and reactance of line i, r+l and
xi+x the resistance and reactance of line i + 1, Pu and Qn the
real and reactive loads at the end-node of branch i, and

Pu+i and QL+I the real and reactive loads at the end-node
of branch i + 1, respectively.
Loss-reduction depends on the valu of ALPi0SS i.e. if it is
positive, losses are reduced and if it is negative, losses are
increased. To determine the loss reduction loop in the
system the nominal loss (positive or negative) is considered.
Nominal loss is the loss that occurs by exchanging the open
branch with the nominal branch. The nominal branch is the
first adjacent branch to the tie branch on the lower voltage
side of the loop. If the nominal loss is negative, thenthere is
no branch in the loop that can be a candidate for a branch
exchange [1]. If nominal loss is positive, it means that loss
reduction is achieved, and the branch in the loop for branch
exchange is determined. Henee, the loss reduction formula
is applied only on the loops which have the positive nominal
losses. Normally, a branch in the lower voltage side of a loss
reduction loop is chosen since it can reduce the loss [10].
Henee, Eq. (19) is applied to calclate the loss reduction
valu of APi0SS for all branches in lower voltage side and the
branch which gives the highest valu of APi0SS would be
selected for branch exchange. Appendix A shows how APi0SS is
estimated for a branch, at which a lateral-branch is
connected to the end-bus of that branch.
4. Solution technique
The loss reduction loops are identified by determining the
nominal losses in the loops. Then Eq. (19) is applied to the
loops with positive nominal losses and a branch to be
opened in the lower voltage side of that loop is selected.
The steps used to determine the branch to be exchanged
which gives the mximum loss reduction, are as follows:
(i) run the load flow program to obtain the power-flows in
the branches;
(ii) check the nominal losses for every loop in the system
and only the loops with positive nominal loss are selected
as the loss reduction loops;
(iii) calclate the loss reduction valu of APi0SS for all the
branches in the lower voltage-side of the loss reduction
loops using Eq. (19) and select the switching-options that
contribute loss reduction in the system;
(iv) genrate a list of the switching options computed in
step (iii), in a descending order;
(v) check the top list switching option for constraint
violation;
Table 2
Comparison with Baran and Wus method

Method
applied

Selection of the final

switching options

Total loss reduction in

percentage of initial
losses

Proposed method Baran

and Wus method

35-9, 34-14, 33-6, 36-32 3511,36-31, 37-28

34.94
30.66

Fig. 5. Loss reduction at different search level.

(vi) if all the constraints are satisfied, go to step (viii);

otherwise go to step (vii);
(vii) if there is the other switching option in the lower
voltage-side of the loop, then select the next order option
and go to step (vi); otherwise stop;
(viii) select this as a switching option for branch
exchange and execute this for load flow calculation in
the next search level;
(ix) repeat from steps (i)(viii) until there is no loop in the
network with positive nominal loss.

5. Results and discussion

The test system used to evaluate the performance of the
proposed method is a hypothetical 12.66 kV radial distribution system with 33 buses and three laterals [1]. The

schematic diagram of the test system is shown in Fig. 4.

The system data of the base configuration are tabulated in
Appendix B. There are five tie-lines (looping branches) in
the system, and sectionalizing switches on every branch of
the system. The total system loads for the base configuration
are 3715 kW and 2300 kVAr. The system real power loss is
about 5.5% of total load, i.e. 204.14 kW.
The proposed method and Baran and Wus method are
tested on the 33-bus test system. The results are summarized
and compared as shown in Tables 1 and 2. The optimal
network configuration for loss reduction is achieved after
six search-levels of the proposed algorithm, in which at each
search level (or iteration) a load flow solution is obtained,
the loss reduction loops are selected and finally a branchexchange is determined. The test results of Table 1 indicate
that the first branch-exchange contributes most of the loss
reduction. The degree of loss reductions at different search

Fig. 6. Loss reduction at different search level.

Initial configuration

Final configuration

Fig. 7. Voltage profile.

for loss minimization is given and a new solution method is

proposed in this paper. The paper presents a simple formula
to calculate the change in the losses of the system, following
the operation of a switch. This formula is valid as long as the
system voltages remain within the range of stability limits.
The main advantage of the formula is that it eliminates the
need to perform load-flow for every switching operation.
The loss reduction formula has been tested on the 33-bus
test system and satisfactory results have been obtained. It
can identify the appropriate switching-option that gives
maximum reduction in the total losses of the system. Test
results indicate that real power losses are reduced significantly and the voltage profile of the network is improved
considerably by using the proposed method.
Acknowledgements
The preliminary results of this paper have been presented
to the IASTED International Conference on Modelling and
Simulation, Pittsburgh, USA, 1316 May 1998.
levels are shown in Fig. 5,
in which 68% of the total
loss reduction is obtained
by the first switching
exchange. From Table 2
and Fig. 6, it is proven that
the proposed method is
better compared to Baran
and Wus method because
it can identify the switches
to be opened which give
the
maximum
loss
reduction
with
less
computing effort. The final
config-uration for loss
minimization obtained by
the proposed method is

different from that of Baran

and Wus method, although
both methods have the same
base system. This is because
the proposed method can
identify the most effective
branch-exchange operations
for loss reduction. The losschange formula of the
proposed
method
can
calculate the most accurate
value of loss-changes for
switching-operations in the
network. Therefore, the
selected switching-option in
each successive operation of
the proposed method is the

best
switchingoption that minimizes losses the
most. The loss
reductions
at
different searchlevels
by
the
proposed method
and Baran and
Wus method are
shown in Fig. 6. It
shows that 34.94%
of total system
losses
can
be
reduced by the
proposed method,
whereas by Baran
and Wus method
the loss reduction
is only 30.66%.
Fig. 7 shows the
voltage
profile
improvement
achieved by the
proposed
feeder
reconfiguration
algo-rithm.
As
shown, most of the
bus voltages have
been
improved
after
feeder
reconfiguration.
The test results
show that before
reconfiguration,
the minimum bus
voltage was 0.91
p.u. and after
reconfiguration, it
is raised to 0.9378
p.u.

6. Conclusin

Appendix A

Fig. Al is a
feeder section of
a
radial
distribution
network. In this
figure power is
flowing
from
branch
i
to
branch i + 1 in
the feeder where
there is no lateral
branch.
Therefore, loss
reduction
for
branch i can be
calculated as
where, P and
Q are real and
reactive power
flows in branch
i, Pi+X and Qi+\
are real and
reactive power
flows in branch
1+ 1, r and x
are
resistance
and reac-tance of
the line i, rJ+1 and
xi+x the resistance
and reactance of
line i + 1, Pn and
Qu the real and
reactive loads at
the end-node of
branch i, and
Pu+i and Qu+\
the real and
reactive loads at
the end-node of
branch i + 1,
respectively.
In Fig. A2,
power is flowing
from branch to
branch and also
to
lateral
branches.
A

lateral

branch

is

connected to the end of

branch i. Henee, power
is flowing from branch
A general formulation of
feeder reconfiguration
problem

i to branch / + 1 and
lateral branch /' + 1. In
this case, loss reduction
for branch i has been
calculated by using the

Fig. A1. One line diagram

of a feeder section without
lateral.

(continued)
Reactive Resistance Reactance
Branch Sending Receiving Real
load in load in
no.
node
node
in ohms
in ohms
kW
kVAr
15

14

15

60

20

0.7463

0.5450

16
17
18
19
20
21

15
16
1
18
19
20
2

16
17
18
19
20
21

22

23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
7
14
21
32
28

60
90
90
90
90
90
90
420
420
60
60
60
120
200
150
210
60

20
40
40
40
40
40
50
200
200
25
25
20
70
600
70
100
40

1.2890
0.7320
0.1640
1.5042
0.4095
0.7089
0.4512
0.8980
0.8960
0.2030
0.2842
1.0590
0.8042
0.5075
0.9744
0.3105
0.3410
2.0000
2.0000
2.0000
0.5000
0.5000

1.7210
0.5740
0.1565
1.3554
0.4784
0.9373
0.3083
0.7091
0.7011
0.1034
0.1447
0.9337
0.7006
0.2585
0.9630
0.3619
0.5302
2.0000
2.0000
2.0000
0.5000
0.5000

22

Fig. A2. One line diagram of a feeder section with lateral.

following equation:

23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33a
34a
35a
36a
37a
a

23
5
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
20
8
11
17
24

22

Tie lines.

where, F^+1 and Q'+\ are

real and reactive power
flows in branch / + 1, P"i+i
and Q"+\ the real and
reactive power flows in
lateral branch /' + 1, r+1
and J^+1 the resistance and
reactance of the line / + 1,
r"+1 and x"i+i the resistance
and reactance of the line /'
+ 1, u+i and Cu+i the real
and reactive loads at the
end-node of branch / + 1,
and P'ii+i and CL+I the
real and reactive loads at
the end-node of branch /'
+ 1, respectively.
Loss-reduction vales
(APi0SS) for branches / + 1
and /' + 1 are calculated
using Eq. (Al) as their
structures are same as Fig.
Al.
Appendix B. Network
data

Branch Sending Receiving Real

Reactive
no.
node
node
load in load in
kW
kVAr
1

100

60

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

90
120
60
60
200
200
60
60
45
60
60
120
60

40
80
30
20
100
100
20
20
30
35
35
80
10

References
[1] Baran ME, Wu FF.
Network
reconfiguration
in
distribution systems for
loss reduction and load
balancing. IEEE Trans
Power
Delivery
1989;4(2):14017.
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