Distribution network reconfiguration using binary particle swarm optimization to minimize losses and decrease voltage stability index

Power losses and voltage drop are existing problems in radial distribution networks. This power losses and voltage drop affect the voltage stability level. Reconfiguring the network is a form of approach to improve the quality of electrical power. The network reconfiguration aims to minimize power losses and voltage drop as well as decreasing the Voltage Stability Index (VSI). In this research, network reconfiguration uses binary particle swarm optimization algorithm and Bus Injection to Branch Current-Branch Current to Bus Voltage (BIBC-BCBV) method to analyze the radial system power flow. This scheme was tested on the 33-bus IEEE radial distribution system 12.66 kV. The simulation results show that before reconfiguration, the active power loss is 202.7126 kW and the VSI is 0.20012. After reconfiguration, the active power loss and VSI decreased to 139.5697 kW and 0.14662, respectively. It has decreased the power loss for 31.3136% significantly while the VSI value is closer to zero.