Reliability Assessment of the Smart Distribution System in the Presence of Microgrids using Monte Carlo method

This research paper aims to introduce a novel approach for evaluating the reliability of smart distribution system in the presence of microgrids. Microgrids, predominantly utilizing wind turbines and solar cells, pose a unique challenge to assessing distribution system reliability. To tackle this, the study employs the Monte Carlo method to calculate the availability of wind and solar energy. Subsequently, the presented method in this article is utilized to obtain reliability indices for the distribution system with integrated microgrids. Importantly, the proposed method takes into account the influence of renewable resources during system recovery. By incorporating this method, the assessment of distributed generation resources within microgrids becomes more straightforward for evaluating the reliability of the distribution system. The effectiveness of this method was assessed by modeling the desired indices on a distribution feeder comprising 13 distribution posts. It is assumed that each of these 13 points incorporates a microgrid dedicated to supplying local customers. Wind turbines and solar cells are installed as backup power sources for each customer.