An Efficient Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Network Reconfiguration in Large-Scale Distribution Systems

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for loss minimization by using an automatic switching operation in large-scale distribution systems. Simulated annealing is particularly well suited for a large combinatorial optimization problem since it can avoid local minima by accepting improvements in cost. However, it often requires meaningful cooling schedule and a special strategy, which makes use of the property of distribution systems in finding the optimal solution. In this paper, we augment the cost function with the operation condition of distribution systems, improve the perturbation mechanism with system topology, and utilize the polynomial-time cooling schedule, which is based on the statistical calculation during the search. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed methodology is demonstrated in the Korea Electric Power Corporation's distribution system.