Distribution network expansion planning with optimal siting and sizing of electric vehicle charging stations

The investment of connecting charging stations into distribution networks should be considered in the optimal planning of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs). This paper proposes a mathematical model for multistage distribution network expansion planning taking optimal siting and sizing of EV charging stations into account. In the proposed model, the capacity of existing substations can be increased, existing network feeders can be replaced with wider section feeders, new feeders and new charging stations can be built. Network security constraints are considered. A new constraint is formulated to guarantee the topology of the obtained distribution network is radial. Numerical results indicate that the proposed method can allocate charging capacity among candidate charging station sites optimally, and the total investment and operating cost of the distribution network is reduced.