Optimal Placement of Plug-in Electric Vehicles Fast-Charging Stations Using Geographic Information System and Considering Power Distribution Network Indexes: A Case Study in Kabul

Concerning the increasing application of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), planning PEV fast-charging stations (PEVF-CS) has become an important research topic. Regarding the reactive power compensation capability, the optimal planning of PEVF-CS reduces voltage deviation and power loss in the distribution network. Also, one of the basic requirements for expanding electric transportation is the optimal placement of accessible PEVF-CSs, considering the geographic information data. Therefore, the optimal placement of PEVF-CS requires attention to different geographical criteria and power distribution network constraints. In this sense, this paper aims to propose an approach that integrates the Geographic Information System (GIS) technique, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method, and Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming to find the optimal location of a PEVF-CS in Kabul city. The first stage is decision analysis based on the GIS technique and the MCDM approach. The second stage is suitability analysis of the power distribution network constraints to improve power quality. This paper considers ten different suitability criteria, and the Technique for Order Preference Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is applied to rank the different candidate locations. The analysis identified Junction 4 as the optimal choice and demonstrated a significant 3.6% reduction in power loss during peak hours, decreasing from 1071 kW to 1032 kW. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in optimizing PEVF-CS placement to enhance power quality and reduce the power loss.