Operator’s Interruption-Cost-Based Sectionalization Method For 3-Feeder Radial Distribution Architecture

The distribution system sectionalization (recloser placement) and reconfiguration (closed/open status of reclosers) are receiving increasing interest in the field of feeder design and operation. They are becoming an intrinsic feature of the emerging smart grids by contributing to their reliability and self-healing capability. The majority of sectionalization methods are combinatorial suggesting the development of multiple sectionalization scenarios, and iterative. The goal of the chapter is to present a novel sectionalization method giving an optimal recloser placement scenario at one straightforward calculation. The sectionalization rationale is to split a radial grid into sections with equal portions of operator’s interruption cost in the initial configuration, where the interruption cost consists of non-distributed energy cost and fault clearing cost. The optimization is referred to as minimization of non-distributed energy cost for 3-overhead-feeder distribution grid with 3 independent supply points. It provides both single and double sectionalization, with one and two reclosers per feeder, respectively. The method also suggests the evaluation of investment efficiency of the sectionalization in the considered period. It was validated as an effective procedure for the 10-kV test grid in numerical setup with 43 nodes, corresponding to the Lithuanian critical line data. The method-based sectionalization was compared with the reason-based one in order to quantify the optimisation effect.