Long-term planning in distribution networks: combining levers for sizing network methods

This paper analyses the combination and the implementation of several levers in a deterministic framework to study medium voltage (MV) networks over a long-time scenario. It strives to develop an optimal sizing method for Distributed System Operators (DSO), allowing them to adapt the network to future scenarios at a minimal cost. To do so, it considers the valorization of flexibility (curtailment here) combined with the reinforcement of power lines in the context of the insertion of renewable production. By simulating the evolution of the network with an hourly time step, during different scenarios of producers and with several initial characteristics of electrical power lines, it has been shown that integrating a more detailed temporal analysis combined with dynamic levers in the sizing methods, can reduce global costs (investment and operational), while respecting the current and voltage limits, here by reducing or postponing network reinforcement. Thus, this illustrates the potential added value of new controlled levers in flexibility and operation (active power, reactive power, voltage settings, topology, etc.) to modernize network sizing methods in a context of renewable energy insertion for DSOs. A more detailed study integrating several other levers while maintaining an hourly time step should be carried out subsequently.