Transmission/distribution load flow based on mesh approach

A load flow based on the first iteration of Newton's method and mesh analysis is proposed. Firstly, one neglects the links and then the systems' tree is solved avoiding matrix inversion. Afterwards, the links are included as radial branches in which the power must be computed in order to impose equivalence with the original system. A set of linear equations for updating the variables is obtained by performing variable transformations. Voltage controlled buses (PV buses) are modelled as voltage drops between the PV bus and the slack bus. If one includes only the reactive power of PV buses on the updating process the prior gain in linearity is held. Voltage control by transformer tap changing is also modelled. Some tests were performed with realistic distribution systems and IEEE test systems. For both radial and meshed systems the proposed method showed a good performance.