Optimization of distribution network reconfiguration for power loss minimization using GOA: a case study of Dilla substation, Ethiopia

Abstract This paper presents a study that considers reconfiguring a given substation’s distribution network at Dilla, Ethiopia, to minimize losses with the help of the Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization. The main aim is to achieve the best switch combination to minimize power loss, subject to system-imposed constraints. A mathematical model was carried out of the best network configuration at the Dilla feeder, inspired by grasshopper behavior. The proposed method was tested over a 76-bus radial distribution system at the Dilla substation. Compared with PSO and other existing methods, the performance of GOA is far better in reducing active and reactive power losses. The reduction of power loss with the help of GOA comes to be 70.3%, while with PSO, it comes out to be 68.8%. The voltage profile improved reasonably, stabilizing around one pu for all the buses. The results illustrated that GOA could be an effective and practical strategy for optimizing the distribution networks with increased reliability and decreased power losses. The paper concludes with a comparative analysis of the proposed GOA and existing methods for distribution network reconfiguration (DNR), showing that the GOA is more effective in reducing voltage deviation (VD) and power losses in the system.