Maximizing reliability by optimal siting of distributed generation and protective devices

The placement of protective and switching devices, as well as distributed generation (DG), affect the reliability of distribution systems. Existing placement methodologies give suboptimal solutions since device placement is optimized separately from DG placement, and vice versa. In this paper, a binary formulation for the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) as a function of the locations of fuses, reclosers, and DGs is developed. Commercially-available optimization software is used to minimize SAIFI to get the optimal location of fuses, reclosers, and DGs, subject to various constraints. Using this methodology, the simultaneous optimization of fuse, recloser and DG placement is achieved for maximum reliability.