Enhancing low voltage network capacity through phase load balance optimization using advanced smart meter data analytics and static reconnections

This paper addresses the challenges facing low voltage networks amidst global demands for decarbonisation and the integration of dispersed renewable energy sources. As traditional cable upgrades are costly and time-consuming they should be considered as a last resort. We propose a phase load balancing methodology as a cost-effective alternative possible in some scenarios. This approach redistributes loads across different phases to balance phase utilisation, thereby unlocking spare capacity, reducing peak loading, and delaying the need for cable reinforcements. Focusing on low-voltage networks, our methodology evaluates imbalances in conductor sections, identifying systematic imbalance patterns and devising a consumer reconnection plan to mitigate these imbalances. The methodology's effectiveness is demonstrated on an actual network involving a secondary transformer station, with 192 low-voltage conductor sections, and 226 consumers, all equipped with smart meters. We show that most load imbalances are systematic and can be mitigated through static reconnections, increasing capacity by up to 20% in individual sections. Due to low cost, phase load balancing is a great primary response to some capacity constraint scenarios in low-voltage networks.