A Linear Path-based Method to Load Restoration in Distribution Networks by Microgrids Formation

Natural disasters and severe weather conditions can lead to extensive outages in power networks. In order to reduce the economic and social effects of blackouts, most electric utilities apply pre-determined instructions and procedures to recover the system and restore the loads. However, due to the high impacts and different nature of such incidents, traditional methods of load restoration in the distribution networks can not guarantee the desired performance of the system in these situations. Therefore, in this paper, a novel model based on mixed-integer linear programming is presented to load restoration in distribution networks after such disasters. In this model, by utilizing graph related theories, the topological features of the distribution network along with its electrical characteristics are formulated in the form of one linear optimization problem. The formation of microgrids, determination of their service areas, and the optimal management of different technologies such as distributed generation units and demand response resources have been also considered. Finally, by performing multiple simulations, the efficiency and applicability of the proposed integrated model have been verified.