Nowadays, distribution utilities expend large investments on Distributed System Automation (DSA) based on smart secondary substations at load, capacitor, and distributed generator points with installed automatic sectionalizing switches on their branches. This paper addresses the optimal control and operation of distribution systems that minimize the wasted energy and introducing quantitative and qualitative power services to meet consumers' satisfaction. Simultaneous allocations of Distributed Generators (DGs) and Capacitor Banks (CBs) are handled at peak loading condition. Then, the DSA is optimally activated for optimal Distribution Network Reconfiguration (DNR), optimal DGs commitment, and optimal CBs switching for losses minimization in coordination with different loading conditions. Practical daily load variation is applied to simulate the dynamic operation of automated distribution systems. For achieving these targets, the Manta Ray Foraging Optimization Algorithm (MRFOA) is adopted. MRFOA is an effective and simple structure optimizer that emulates three various individual manta rays foraging organizations. The capability of the MRFOA is applied to the IEEE 33-bus, 69-bus and practical distribution network of 84-bus due to the Taiwan Power Company (TPC). A comparison with recent techniques has been conducted to prove the effectiveness of MRFOA. The accomplished results demonstrate that the proposed MRFOA has great effectiveness and robustness among other optimization techniques.
INDEX TERMSDistributed generators, Power losses minimization, switched capacitors, distribution reconfiguration, manta ray foraging algorithm. Nomenclature: Nbn Whole number of the branches in the system OFn Objective function CoV Control variables OT Tie branches which are opened NT Number of branches which could be opened to retain the radial structure of distribution system. Qsc Reactive output power from switching of the capacitors NC Number of the current switched capacitors. Pog Dispatchable output power of DG Ndg Number of located DGs Qsc min Minimum of reactive power resulting from switched capacitors Qsc max Maximum of reactive power resulting from switched capacitors Pog min Minimum of active power resulting from DG Pog max Maximum of active power resulting from DG V Voltage magnitude Ibn Flow of the current in the branches Ibn max Upper limit of the current flow in the branches Pd Active load demand Qd Reactive load demand PRG & PRQ Penetration level which is acceptable from the DGs and CBs Mb Buses number of the system QGsub Substation reactive power