Multi-Area Reactive Power Control Using Cross Decomposition

This paper presents a practical decompsition-based algorithm to solve the reactive power control problem in multi-area power systems. The algorithm is based on the possibility of solving the problem using an iterative optimization process between the subproblems of the Benders decomposition and a Lagrangean relaxation (Dantzig-Wolfe) method. The overall process is referred to as a cross decomposition algorithm. The reactive power control problem has been solved in part by using the Benders decomposition. These methods in the literature are based on the difficult evaluation of plane cuts from the solution of the master problem which introduce new constraints in the solution of the subrpoblem. The merits of our proposed approach are shown by the evaluation of plane cuts (new constraints introduced in the next level of the process) based on the solution of easy-to-solve subrpoblems. Moreover, the proposed approach is extremely efficient in multi-area (zone decomposition) power systems. Test results are demonstrated using the IEEE 30-bus power system.