An ILP Algorithm for Feeder Reconfiguration under Capacity Constraints

Distribution network operators can remove overloads and eliminate voltage violations with the help of feeder reconfiguration by changing the position of normally open and normally closed switches. However, finding a minimal combination of switching operations that satisfies the operating constraints in a network with multiple feeders is a challenging optimization problem. This paper proposes an integer linear programming (ILP) approach to the feeder reconfiguration problem under capacity constraints. In order to examine the computational performance of the algorithm on distribution networks in practice, we design two 3-feeder 375-node test systems with different configurations, which could become a standard test system for scale up. Case studies on the 375-node systems demonstrate the performance of this approach and show that the algorithm performs well in complex corner cases.