Load Balancing in Distribution Circuits Through Phase Swapping

Distribution circuits feed mostly single-phase loads. Because these loads are time-varying and not equally distributed among phases, there is typically an unbalance between the currents flowing through each phase. These imbalances can cause increases in losses, tripping of electrical protections, voltage imbalances and underutilization of lines, all of which contribute to a higher operational cost. To address this problem, this study proposes an iterative method to balance the loads through phase swapping. In particular, the proposed method allows identifying the suitable laterals where two or more phases can be swapped to improve load balancing in a distribution circuit. Using data from a Colombian utility and a standard IEEE test case, we show that it is possible to reduce the load unbalance with few iterations. Additionally, the method also reduces of losses and voltage unbalances, and equalizes the power factors in the phases.