A Robust MPC Method for Post-Disaster Distribution System Reconfiguration based on Repair Crew Routing

Distribution system reconfiguration is an effective solution to reduce the consequences of a disaster through transferring loads to another feeder via automatic switches. Meanwhile, an optimal sequence of damage components repairments provides the operator with the opportunity to utilize components that play a critical role in restoring loads sooner. Motivated by the rise in penetration of renewable distributed generators in modern distribution systems, this paper aims to develop a robust reconfiguration and crew routing co-optimization method to cope with renewable and demand uncertainties while recovering from a disaster. The method optimizes the grid recovery process for the worst load/generation scenario and repeats the optimization every time step considering the activities before the current time step. Finally, a case study on the IEEE 33-bus distribution test network is investigated to analyze the efficiency of the method.