Optimal placement of normally open switches for distribution automation in smart grid

The restoration process in distribution automation system has a significant role in reducing restoration time of interrupted loads. Availability of normally open switches improves the restoration process in the distribution system with reducing the number of switching. This paper introduces a search algorithm based on the greedy set cover problem for determining the optimal set of normally open switches, in a way that each fault-case can be restored with one pair of switching. The proposed algorithm is implemented for a modified IEEE 37-node test system.