Power Loss and Voltage Profile Mitigation Using Distribution Generation (DG) and DSTATCOM: (Case Study of Awash Melkasa Distribution Feeder).

Abstract

Distribution networks face several problems such as power loss, low voltage profiles, frequent and prolonged power interruptions at customer sites, and lowest level of voltage at system nodes. Awash Melkasa Distribution Feeder similarly faces this kind of problems. Major issues of the feeder are high frequency of interruptions, power losses, and voltage drops. In order to mitigate power loss and voltage deviation, the optimal sizing and placement of distribution static compensators (D-STATCOM) and solar-based distributed generation (DG) in the Awash Melkasa distribution system, Dera (F-5) distribution feeder, were used in this thesis. Dera (F- 5) distribution feeder on Awash Melkasa distribution system has 117 branches and 118 buses. The load flow analysis of the distribution feeder has been simulated in MATLAB using the backward/forward sweep algorithm to determine power loss and voltage deviation. The existing system real and reactive power losses are 1298.84 KW and 987.991KVAr respectively and forty-five and 12/100 (45.12%) buses have below standard voltage levels. An optimization problem has been formulated as multi-objective functions comprising total real power loss, total reactive power loss, and voltage deviation for optimal siting and sizing of DG and D- STATCOM using Whale optimization algorithm. The simulation results were tested by considering base case (scenario -I), Only DG integration (scenario -II), only D- STATCOM integration (scenario-III), and simultaneously DG and D-STATCOM integration (scenario-IV) scenarios. The simulation result indicates that active power loss reduction percentages were 44.5578%, 26.456%, and 79.117% for scenario-II, scenario-III, and scenario-IV best-case, respectively. Similarly, reactive power loss reduction percentages were 44.6838%, 26.497%, and 79.218% for the same scenarios. Additionally, the minimum voltage level in the base case improved from 0.8689 p.u. to 0.95 p.u., 0.955204 p.u., and 0.972127 p.u. Therefore, based on the results, scenario IV is the preferred option for reducing power loss and enhancing voltage profile. The optimal simultaneous placement and sizing of DG and DSTATCOM were determined to be at buses 55 and 105 of the F-five feeder, with the DG rated at 1,049 MW and the DSTATCOM rated at 1,214 MVAr, respectively. Furthermore, the payback period of the proposed solution indicates four year and three months.