A probabilistic approach for remote terminal unit placement in power distribution systems

This paper investigates a reliability-centered approach for the placement procedure of remote terminal units (RTUs) in power distribution systems. Entire attempt is contributed to incorporate the practical aspects interrelated with the problem, e.g. the accessibility to the candidate substations, the load point criticality, as well as the load probabilistic behavior and consequently the inevitable variation in the electricity price. The placement process is done through an optimization problem wherein the common reliability indices, as the decisive factors in the placement process, are going to be minimized. The approach is successfully applied to a real power distribution feeder of Iran's power grid and well demonstrates its applicability accompanied by its accuracy in dealing with the practical planning concerns.