Operation and Optimization Technologies of Active Distribution Network with Multi-terminal Soft Open Points

Abstract

The increasing penetration of distributed generators (DGs) exacerbates the power fluctuation and the risk of voltage violations in active distribution networks (ADNs). The conventional regulation devices limited by the physical constraints are difficult to meet the requirement of rapid operation and optimization when DGs fluctuate frequently. Soft open point (SOP) is a flexible power electronic device, which can provide an accurate active and reactive power flow control. The multi-terminal SOPs further enable the flexible connection among multiple feeders, effectively extending the adjustment range of the power flow. In this paper, the potential benefits of using multi-terminal SOPs are investigated to improve the performance of pilot distribution networks constructed in Tianjin, China. By accurately adjusting the power flow among feeders, the multi-terminal SOPs can effectively improve the operationperformanceofthepilot project, including power loss reduction, feeder load balancing, voltage violation mitigation and reliability improvement.