SOLUTION TO OPTIMAL POWER FLOW INCORPORATING MULTI-TYPE FACTS DEVICES USING EVOLUTIONARY TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The demand for electric power is ever increasing due to rapid1-'industrialization and population growth. Perhaps: on India, the total power generation requirement has been 'tremmendo.usly increased during the past decades. And hence power systems became. more complex and have -grown - very , large. It is now important to design and operate systems with high degree of practical efficiency, security and reliability. In recent years, active power optimization has gained more importance due to exploitation' of power generating sources at remote places and inclusion of long. EHAVC- aswell -as long DC :.transmission networks. in' the system. The optimal.. power flow (OPF) problem can be formulated as a constrained non-linear optimization problem. The solution of an OPF problem determines the optimal settings for control variables in a. power network observing various constraints. In the last few year development, many different solution approaches have been proposed to solve the OPF problems. AC transmission systems could not, be controlled practically and . fast. when traditional controllers are used. Traditional controllers that. used before, like series' and shunt compensators, voltage regulators, phase shifting and tap changing transformers could not realize the required. level of-control of these transmission systems. Recent developments, in power electronics have opened a new- world in power systems control: Several control devices are being developed tinder this new -concept, known as FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission. System). FACTS devices- are integrated in power system to control power flow, increase transmission, line stability limit and improve the security of transmission systems FACTS controllers are used to enhance system flexibility and increase system loadability. In addition to controlling the power flow in specific lines, it is also used to, minimize the total generator fuel cost in optimal power: flow (OPF) problem.