Multi-voltage approach to long-term network expansion planning

Network expansion planning (NEP), as a major module of power system planning modules, is addressed here. For long-term transmission NEP, a new approach based on forward-backward strategy is proposed in which by denning appropriate steps and observing various technical and reliability considerations, new network reinforcements are determined. Besides assessing the capabilities of the proposed approach on a small typical system, the algorithm is successfully tested for Iranian Power Grid in 2011, as a large-scale system.