Spider Wasp Optimizer-Optimized Cascaded Fractional-Order Controller for Load Frequency Control in a Photovoltaic-Integrated Two-Area System

The integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems into traditional power grids introduces significant challenges in maintaining system stability, particularly in multi-area power systems. This study proposes a novel approach to load frequency control (LFC) in a two-area power system, where one area is powered by a PV grid and the other by a thermal generator. To enhance system performance, a cascaded control strategy combining a fractional-order proportional–integral (FOPI) controller and a proportional–derivative with filter (PDN) controller, FOPI(1+PDN), is introduced. The controller parameters are optimized using the spider wasp optimizer (SWO). Extensive simulations are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the SWO-tuned FOPI(1+PDN) controller. The proposed method demonstrates superior performance in reducing frequency deviations and tie-line power fluctuations under various disturbances. The results are compared against other advanced optimization algorithms, each applied to the FOPI(1+PDN) controller. Additionally, this study benchmarks the SWO-tuned controller against recently reported control strategies that were optimized using different algorithms. The SWO-tuned FOPI(1+PDN) controller demonstrates superior performance in terms of faster response, reduced overshoot and undershoot, and better error minimization.