Optimization of Capital Expenditure and Operational Expenditure of an Electrical Network: A Comparative Study of Optimization Problems to Use

Optimizing an electrical network consists in maximizing the profits and minimizing the various costs of the complex process that goes from the production of electricity to its distribution to end users. Essentially, it is about maximizing energy efficiency, maximizing reliability, minimizing the negative effect of that process on the environment, and minimizing Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operational Expenditure (OPEX). In this paper we focus on how to make sure that the optimization problem used in the procedures of minimization of CAPEX and OPEX are the ones that lead to the most efficient optimization. In general, to optimize CAPEX or OPEX for an electrical network, one relies on the problems of the minimum spanning tree, the travelling salesman problem, the shortest path problem, the Steiner minimal tree problem, the transport problem and the problem of losses of electricity by Joule effect in the network. Each of these optimization problems can be solved by different algorithms, or different methods. These algorithms and methods are most of the time encapsulated in the software module allowing to solve the optimization problem. We limit this work just on identifying the optimization problems to be used to get the most efficient optimization of CAPEX and OPEX of an electrical network.