An Improved Algorithm for Topology Identification of Distribution Networks Using Smart Meter Data and Its Application for Fault Detection

This paper proposes a new method for estimating the topology of radial distribution networks and a novel data-driven fault detection technique using smart meter data. An improved method to estimate voltage sensitivity coefficients from smart meter data is proposed that takes into account the variability of the transformer voltage. These coefficients are used in both the topology estimation and the fault detection algorithms. In the topology estimation algorithm, an improved graph learning algorithm, which iteratively constructs the network graph, is devised. In the fault detection algorithm, the objective is to look for sudden changes in the estimated voltage sensitivity coefficients. The performance of the proposed methods is first assessed on randomly generated topologies under various noise conditions. Then, the performance of the algorithms is validated using real smart meter measurements obtained from Australian distribution networks. The results show a significant improvement in the accuracy of estimated topologies compared to the state-of-the-art methods while the fault detection technique is successful in detecting faults using real smart meter data.