A past global optimization approach to VAr planning for the large scale electric power systems

In this paper, an innovative fast global optimization technique, hybrid partial gradient descent/simulated annealing (HPGDSA), for optimal VAr planning is presented. The HPGDSA is introduced to search the global optimal solution considering both quality and speed at the same time. The basic idea of the HPGDSA is that partial gradient descent and simulated annealing alternate with each other such that it reduces the CPU time of the conventional simulated annealing (SA) method while retaining the main characteristics of SA, i.e., the ability to get the global optimal solution. The HPGDSA was applied to a practical power system, Taiwan Power System (Tai-Power System), with satisfactory results.