A Genetic Algorithm-Based Power System Volt/Var Optimization Applied to Transmission Studies

With the increasing number of renewable generation and load interconnection applications to transmission systems, there has been an unprecedented increase in the volume and complexity of voltage and reactive power control problems for the high-voltage power system network.

Motivated by the transmission planning and generator interconnection studies conducted in the industry, engineers at EPE Hanyue Li, Govind Joshi, Matt Mazhari, and Tim Kopp developed a genetic algorithm-based volt/var optimization approach that was presented at the 2023 IEEE Texas Power and Energy Conference (TPEC). The approach can serve as an improvement to the industry’s current practice to mitigate bus voltage violations and optimize reactive power device control variables.

Visit IEEE’s website to read more about the proposed approach.