Optimal allocation of voltage-reactive resources using genetic algorithm

The problem of optimal allocation of voltage-reactive regulatory resources has been widely considered in the field of planning and management of the power systems in order to maintain the voltage profile, as one of the most important aspects of the operation of a network, within the given limits. During the installation of these devices, the topology of the network is changed, which is why it is essential to pay sufficient attention to the sizing of these devices in the planning phase, from the point of view of selecting adequate power, and to choose suitable locations for their location.This paper proposes a method for determining the minimum required number of reactive power compensation devices, their locations and powers, with the aim of improving the voltage profile. The difference between this work in comparison to existing research work is that the number of devices, as well as their locations, will not be defined in advance, so that the locations and power of the devices will be treated as variables. The effectiveness of the proposed method will be tested using IEEE test systems.