Adaptive network partitioning and aggregation in response to operational variabilities in distribution network

Utilising photovoltaic (PV) inverters for reactive power compensation (RPC) presents an innovative method for voltage regulation. As the proportion of distributed PV increases, distributed control technology has become instrumental in enhancing the flexibility and reliability of the distribution network (DN), ensuring its safe and efficient operation. It necessitates the segmentation of DN into distinct clusters, establishing subordination between PVs and regional controllers for efficacious distributed control. However, conventional methods may overlook the changing scenarios of DN operating status caused by PV and load power fluctuations. In addition, the time-varying partitioning results will cause frequent changes in the subordination between PV and cluster, increasing the partition computation and the difficulty for PV regulation. To mitigate these challenges, this paper first proposes a partitioning strategy employing the Coupling Coefficient Index (CCI), grouping PVs and corresponding nodes sensitive to reactive power. Secondly, the aggregation method for partitioning results in different time segment is given to simplify the partitioning calculation. The proposed method can accommodate diverse operational scenarios caused by PV and load power fluctuations. Finally, the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method are corroborated within the IEEE 123 node test system. The proposed method will enhance the voltage regulation capabilities of PVs, thereby increasing the DN’s hosting capacity for PV.