Optimal placement and sizing of STATCOMs in power systems using GHS Algorithm

Heuristic optimization techniques are easily applicable to a wide variety of cases which makes them a popular choice for complex problems that can be difficult to solve by traditional methods. This paper presents the application of the Global Harmony Search Algorithm (GHS) to the optimal placement and sizing of STATCOMs in power systems. In the first part, the benefits of STATCOMs installation are explained and assumptions are described. Then, a literature survey on the GHS is conducted, including a detailed description of the algorithm implementation. The Newton-Raphson method is used to calculate the power flow and to select the most vulnerable nodes, whereas the GHS is employed to find the buses most suitable for STATCOM installation and its nominal power. Finally, the results obtained with the GHS are critically discussed and conclusions are drawn.