Correcting Optimal Transmission Switching for AC Power Flows

Optimal Transmission Switching (OTS) has demonstrated significant savings potential on test systems when formulated in a linearized DC power flow framework. OTS solutions generated from DC models, however, are not guaranteed to produce a feasible AC dispatch. Additionally, whether AC-feasible OTS solutions will generate cost savings similar to those suggested in the DC model is not guaranteed. We present a method to correct OTS solutions obtained in the DC model to ensure feasible AC power flow solutions. When applied to the RTS-96 benchmark network, the method achieves results that are both AC feasible and generate significant system cost reductions - in some cases larger than the cost reductions suggested by the DC OTS.