Coordinated Optimization for Zone-Based Voltage Control in Distribution Grids

This article addresses the problem of optimizing voltage profiles in distribution networks. The voltage optimization is split into two stages; the former is performed offline and the latter online. First, the network is partitioned into several weakly coupled voltage control zones (VCZs) with pilot nodes (PNs). Then, the partitioning is used to optimize the voltage profiles of the distribution systems on the frame of a two time-scale-based coordinated approach. At the first level, a centralized voltage optimization problem (VOP), minimizing the distance of bus voltages at the PNs from their reference values and subject to linearized power flow equations, is solved to fix the positions of the on-load tap changer and of step-voltage regulators, and the reactive powers provided by capacitor banks. At the second level, the VOP is implemented according to a decentralized approach, in which the solution is obtained by applying a distributed algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers. It optimizes in each VCZ the voltage at the PN by acting on the active and reactive powers provided by the distributed energy resources present in the VCZ; the VCZ solutions are driven to the global optimum of the whole distribution system by a limited data exchange between the PNs. The proposed approach reduces the complexity and computational burden typical when solving the VOP on a large scale system. The proposed strategy is tested on the modified IEEE 123-bus system; various load and generation scenarios are analyzed proving the effectiveness of the proposed approach in achieving the objective of voltage regulation.