Three-Phase Optimal Power Flow for Market-Based Control and Optimization of Distributed Generations

The ever-increasing penetration of distributed generation in recent years brings challenges as well as opportunities for distribution companies as the smart grid paradigm evolves. A new three-phase unbalanced optimal power flow algorithm is developed for steady state system analysis to minimize the cost of serving loads in a distribution network. The algorithm is developed based on primal-dual interior point method. Comprehensive system components and constraints are modeled in a generalized fashion. In tests performed on the IEEE test feeder systems, the proposed algorithm is able to solve for optimal solutions under various system conditions and constraints. The potential applications of the program for distribution system design, reconfiguration, and control are also highlighted.