Techno-economic optimization of distribution network reconfiguration and distributed generation deployment for improved power system efficiency using POA

Deploying distributed generation (DG) and reconfiguring radial distribution systems is essential for advancing technical performance and operational efficiency by minimizing power losses and voltage deviations and thereby enhancing reliability. This study introduces the application of the puma optimization algorithm (POA) as an effective tool for optimizing DG deployment and network reconfiguration, rigorously tested on 85-node, 141-node, and 415-node systems and benchmarked against the grey wolf, fire hawk, zebra, and whale optimizers. The POA's versatility is validated across various load conditions: constant power, current, impedance, and composite. An economic assessment quantifies the impact of DG planning strategies, with optimal power factor DG integration and network reconfiguration shown to yield superior results. The results demonstrate significant improvements: in the 85-node system, active power losses were reduced by 97.19%, reactive power losses by 98%, and voltage deviation by 97.56%. The 141-node system achieved a 94.95% reduction in active losses, 95.31% in reactive losses, and an 87.33% improvement in voltage deviation. For the 415-node network, active losses dropped by 79.57%, reactive losses by 78.79%, and voltage deviation by 73.76%. This highlights POA's efficacy in optimizing both technical and economic performance across diverse network conditions.