Reliability optimization of electrical distribution systems considering expenditures on maintenance and customer interruptions

Abstract

In this paper, a methodology is proposed which shows enhancement of reliability by optimizing total reliability cost of electrical distribution systems. The total reliability cost consists of cost incurred by utility and customers both. An objective function in terms of failure rates and repair times i.e. primary reliability indices has been formulated which  depicts both these costs . Hence, optimization of the objective function will give a balance between these costs with optimized values of primary reliability indices. This optimization has been done considering the constraints of achieving customer and energy based reliability indices below threshold/target values. The methodology has been applied on Roy Billinton Test System- Bus 2 (RBTS-2).  The problem has been solved by applying Flower Pollination (FP) algorithm. A comparison has been made with the results obtained by Differential evolution (DE) algorithm also for  the system considered.