Location of multi-type facts devices under contingency: An intelligent appproach using modified ABC

With growing size of power system network and customers, security is becoming a major concern. This has paved way for the application of power electronic devices like FACTS in conditioning the power system thereby improving its security. Faults are unpredictable contingency in power system and hence measures must be taken to train the system to handle faulty situations. In this paper, an intelligent method is used to identify an optimal location for installing FACTS devices such that the average loadability of the network is decreased during single line contingencies. A modified artificial bee colony algorithm is used to find the optimal location and size of two FACTS devices - STATCOM and UPFC. The algorithm is tested on benchmark IEEE 14 and UPSEB 75 bus system and the results are compared with the standard ABC algorithm and with the power system before installation of FACTS devices. The proposed algorithm reduces the average loadability and real power losses of the system and also chooses an optimal size for FACTS devices thereby reducing the cost of installation.