Power Cable Laying Route Optimization with a Traveling Salesman Problem Approach

This study is developed to determine the shortest and safest route between distribution points in power cable laying projects. In the scenario where the start and end points are fixed, the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) approach is used to obtain the optimal sequencing between the distribution points. Nearest Neighbor algorithm is applied to solve the TSP and visualized on an OpenStreetMap based map with an orange-colored route. During the route generation, “penguin steps” are used, an iterative movement and step-by-step model that simulates cautious and small steps to avoid obstacles, by integrating spatial constraints such as prohibited zones (schools, hospitals, private properties) and residential areas. Thanks to this approach, safer and more feasible routes are obtained compared to conventional route planning methods. The application was carried out in Ankara Eryaman region and the practical usability of the methods was tested on the map. The results show that simple and fast approaches in energy infrastructure planning can be effective in field applications.