Short-term load forecasting based capacity check for automated power restoration of electric distribution networks

This paper concerns power restoration control in an electric distribution network after a permanent fault. It describes a process for online estimation of loads in a network, which further enables determination of the pre-fault load. The pre-fault load is used to adjust short-term forecasting based load profiles, which are then used in capacity check algorithm of the power restoration controller to determine a backfeed that is valid up to several hours subsequent to the restoration. The paper also introduces a concept of source capacity constraint estimator that resides on Distribution Management System (DMS), with a virtual IED interface that provides up-to-date and accurate information of source capacity limits to the restoration controller. The methodology as proposed in the paper is validated using a laboratory demonstration network setup.